Inside the Temple of Ahkmenrah
by bemj11
Summary: Desperate, Larry released the mummy, but now that the battle is over and the museum is safe, what does he do with him now? What does the mummy mean by assuming command of his kingdom? How much of what Larry says does the mummy actually understand? Can museum exhibits eat? A series of stories beginning with Ahkmenrah's first night of freedom, some tragic, some lighter, some pure fun
1. Prologue

Prologue:

The screams were nothing he had ever heard before, inhuman wails filled with rage and hatred and who knew what else; if there were language involved in the ravings of the creature imprisoned within, it was completely unrecognizable as such.

The sarcophagus rattled with the force of blow after blow as its occupant tried to escape. The assault continued without pause, each tremor threatening to shake the golden coffin apart.

The sarcophagus held. The mummy remained contained. For fifty-four years the sarcophagus had held. For fifty-four years the monster inside had remained imprisoned. The sarcophagus would continue to hold, and the mummy would not get out that night.


	2. First Night: Release

First Night: Release

The twenty foot tall jackals approached with thunderous steps; the mummy screamed loudly as ever. The statues lowered their spears and pointed them directly at Larry and his son, and the night guard knew with certainty that he was going to die in this museum, murdered by an imprisoned mummy's personal giant statues of death. His eyes shifted from the jackals and their spears to the still shaking sarcophagus he could just make out between them, and he knew had had one and only chance.

The last pin barely came loose before the lid flew up and across the room, slamming into the wall. The still screaming mummy had thrown the lid with all of his seemingly not inconsiderable strength, and Larry briefly wondered if he was not going to die here tonight anyway.

Ominously silent now, the mummy slowly rose and turned toward the panicking night guard. Words came pouring out of Larry's mouth-he was not entirely certain just what he was saying, let alone whether or not the mummy in front of him understood English, but something evidently made it through after all because the mummy turned and barked something decidedly not-English at his guards. They knelt in submission, and Larry experienced a brief moment of relief before the mummy turned its attention back to him.

Moaning now, the mummy rose further, and Larry wondered if they were actually safe. He could feel his son beside him, terrified, as the mummy's groaning intensified and it reached a hand upward.

The hand quickly went to the mummy's head, removing a layer of bandaging to reveal the face of a young man, who let out a deep breath and coughed.

"You would not believe how stuffy it is in there." The mummy confided as he stepped out of his sarcophagus, and Larry was suddenly not entirely sure what was happening as his mind tried to process what he had just seen and heard.

A young, handsome face.

Spoken English.

English spoken in a British accent.

The sudden change from screaming, moaning mummy to calm, well spoken young man who's only comment about his fifty-four year imprisonment was that his prison was 'stuffy.'

The mummy had learned English while on display at Cambridge.

The mummy was actually a king.

"I am Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of my fathers."

Larry became aware that he was again babbling, and that the mummy-Ahkmenrah-does not seem to understand whatever it was that was pouring out of his mouth, but Ahkmenrah accepted his attempted introductions graciously all the same.

"Larry, Nick, guardians of Brooklyn, I am forever in your debt." Larry decidd to deal with the revelation that the mu-that Ahkmenrah, fourth king of kings, or whatever, felt indebted to him later, but figured that it at least meant Ahkmenrah was not going to kill them.

"Now bestow the tablet upon me that I may assume command of my kingdom." A warning bell sounded in Larry's head at that, but at the moment they had bigger problems to worry about.

The look on Ahkmenrah's face when he heard the tablet was missing once again changed Larry's mind on whether or not he was going to die at the hands of the mummy, and he wished he had time to figure it out. The Egyptian Pharoah demanded an explanation that Larry, between his own babbling and Ahkmenrah's increasingly furrowed brows, was not entirely sure the mummy understood.

Ahkmenrah turned to exit immediately after Larry finally fell silent, only to find the passage from his exhibit to the hall closed off and locked. The Pharaoh never hesitated, but barked another order in Egyptian (Larry assumed) that sent his twenty foot guards into action.

Ahkmenrah did not so much as twitch as the stone cover that once held his sarcophagus firmly closed was thrown past him and into the bars keeping them in by one of the jackals.

The gate was no match for the stone slab.


	3. Second Night: Kingdom

Second Night: Kingdom

* * *

Larry stood waiting for sunset to fall in Ahkmenrah's tomb because while he was immensely grateful to the mummy for not killing him as well as helping get everyone back into the museum before sunrise, he had not forgotten the Pharaoh's comment about 'assuming command of his 'kingdom' from the night before and was not entirely certain that he had not simply traded one problem for another.

It was possible he had received the Egyptian's assistance simply because it had been necessary to regain the tablet. It was also possible that it was in Ahkmenrah's best interest to restore order before attempting to set himself up as ruler. Larry had no idea what the reasoning behind the Pharaoh's assistance had been.

He also did not know what the word 'kingdom' meant to the Pharaoh. He could simply have been referring to the museum itself, or he could have meant the city, or the entire state. For all Larry knew, the mummy could be planning to take over the entire country-or the world.

As far as Larry knew, Ahkmenrah might be able to take over the world with the table in his possession. The night guard wondered, as the last rays of the sun began to fade, if he should take the precaution of hiding the tablet until he figured out what plans, if any, the ex-mummy had for it.

The lid of the sarcophagus slammed into the stone slab that Larry suddenly realized had been placed back over the sarcophagus by someone during the day. The mummy was already shouting again as Larry lunged forward to once again shove the slab off, ignoring the prickling at the back of his neck that said he was being glared at by two twenty foot tall jackals.

The lid flew across the room in exactly the same way it had the previous night, though as the Pharaoh sat up Larry realized he had rewrapped himself with only enough bandages to maintain some sense of decency. His face was uncovered and he coughed, again expelling dust into the air as he had upon their first meeting. His eyes were guarded and his tone formal as he addressed Larry, though his smile, while reserved, seemed genuine.

"Larry, guardian of Brooklyn." The Pharaoh somehow managed to still look dignified as he climbed out of his sarcophagus. "Thank you for releasing me once again. I trust all is well with the museum?"

Larry could not remember explaining the museum to Ahkmenrah, but shrugged it off. Maybe someone else mentioned it the previous night.

"Sunset just hit, so everyone's just coming to life." Larry admitted. "You're my first stop."

The Pharaoh's eyebrows raised slightly. "I see. How may I be of service?" His tone was still polite, still formal, but the smile had faded, leaving the Egyptian looking solemn and more than a little intimidating.

"I, uh, thought we might have a talk, now that you're free and the museum is no longer dealing with an attempted burglary." Larry said, nervous, wondering what, if anything, he was going to do-could do-if the Egyptian standing before him decided to actually try and take over the world.

Ahkmenrah shot the night guard a sidelong glance before nodding. "Of course guardian. I understand that in order to maintain order among the people of this realm there must needs be certain rules and regulations in place concerning proper conduct, and you have my word as Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of my fathers, that I shall abide by the rules you set forth."

Larry stared, trying both to translate the formal language and process its meaning.

"What?" He blinked. "Rules?"

Ahkmenrah nodded once more in confirmation, and Larry's mind flashed back to the ill-fated 'instruction manual' left by the previous night guards.

"Did the other guards have rules?" He asked, temporarily thrown.

The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed, though his voice when he spoke was mild. "I would assume as much. I never interacted with your predecessors. They never allowed me out of my-sarcophagus."

Larry did not miss the last second change in words from the Pharaoh, and it did not escape him that it was the first time the Egyptian had not seemed utterly sure of himself or his wording, in spite of his fifty-four year imprisonment, incredibly recent release, and the fact that he was conversing in a language that was not his own.

He let the change in wording slide, trying to regroup and figure out where to go from here. He needed to make sure Ahkmenrah was not going to try to take over the world. He also needed to figure out this 'rule' thing-if the previous 'instruction manual' was any indication, the rules definitely needed to change.

Larry sighed. "One thing at a time." He said, to himself as well as the Pharaoh. "We'll get to the rules later. I actually wanted to talk to you about something else first."

Larry received yet another nod. 'As you wish. Please forgive my presumption regarding the subject you wished to address." The Egyptian clasped a hand to his chest and bowed slightly.

"That's…okay?" Larry shook the odd response off for the moment. "Look, Ahkmenrah-" the ex-mummy shifted slightly, "Pharaoh. About the tablet."

The Pharaoh looked toward the object in question, safe in its usual place in the wall, his brow furrowed. "It is rightfully mine. I shall not relinquish it to you or any other."

Ahkmenrah's voice remained as calm and even as it had been all along, but his eyes were no longer simply cautious. The Pharaoh's gaze, as he met Larry's eyes, was cold.

Larry resisted the urge to throw his hands up in frustration, unsure of how the Egyptian might react. He was terribly at this, really. He was a terribly guard, had been nothing but awful from the start, and here and now, he was doing no better.

"I didn't come to take the tablet." Larry tried to keep his voice even, but he was nowhere near as successful at it as Ahkmenrah. "I just-" He stopped, completely at a loss. How did one ask a formerly mummified Pharaoh of Egypt if he had any plans for world domination?

Ahkmenrah waited as if nothing were more important than whatever Larry was trying to say, as if he could stand there all night, and Larry decided to spit it out and deal with the consequences.

Or not.

"Any plans? Now that you're free and the museum is no longer in danger, that is?" Larry winced at the vague line of questioning and wondered why this was so difficult.

"Plans?" Ahkmenrah's brows deepened once again. "Forgive me, guardian, I do not understand."

"World domination?" There it was. "Last night, you wanted the table so you could 'assume command of your kingdom.' Ring any bells?"

Ahkmenrah's expression cleared abruptly. "I have no desire to challenge your right to rule these people."

Larry's jaw dropped. "Right to rule? I'm not-I don't-" He shook his head. "I'm just the night guard."

"They obey you, do they not?" The Pharaoh pressed. "You are charged with their protection, yes? It I in your title, guardian. If not you, then who?"

Larry rubbed his face wearily with his hand. "Nobody rules the museum. Or if anyone does, it's McPhee, the museum curator."

"This McPhee is your ruler?" The ancient Epytian was trying to understand, Larry realized, though he honestly was not sure where to even begin explaining museums and how they worked.

"It's complicated. A lot has changed over the years. But I guess, yes, McPhee is our ruler, or the closest thing we've got."

"I still have no intention of assuming such a position, whether it means challenging you or another." Ahkmenrah spoke softly, though the words reached Larry clearly. "By Rah, I swear it, Larry, guardian of Brooklyn. I am no threat to you or your ruler McPhee."

The intensity behind the Egyptian's words startled Larry, and he hesitated, studying the ex-mummy for some idea of how to react.

The Pharaoh had not changed position since they started talking, Larry realized. The ice in the Egyptian's eyes had melted-they had reverted back to their previous guarded state. Ahkmenrah's language had been formal from the moment he first sat up in his sarcophagus.

It occurred to Larry that something was going on with the mummy, but he did not know Ahkmenrah well enough to be able to tell what, and he was sure it would not be appropriate to ask.

He was also sure-or almost sure-that the Pharaoh was not going to try to take over the museum, at least, not at the moment.

"Okay." He said.

Ahkmenrah's eyebrows lifted. "Okay?" He repeated, questioning.

"Okay." Larry nodded. "So no plans to take over the museum. Just needed to make sure." He let out a deep breath and offered the ex-mummy an uncertain smile. "Good."

The Egyptian watched him for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. "Am I to understand that you are willing to accept my word on this?" Again his tone was nothing but mild as he waited for confirmation that he had correctly understood the night guard.

Larry considered the Pharaoh as well as the question. He sensed that this was important, and chose his next words carefully.

"Is there any reason I shouldn't be willing to accept your word?" He asked, and while Ahkmenrah's eyes flashed, his answer came back as collected as ever.

"My word is good."

Larry nodded. "Okay, then." Relief flooded the night guard, and he unthinkingly stepped forward to offer the Egyptian a friendly slap on the shoulder, only realizing exactly what he had done when Ahkmenrah stared at him in entirely undisguised confusion.

But the Pharaoh did not smite him, instead turning his attention to the other question, one that Larry was in no way prepared to deal with that night.

"Should we now address your rule, guardian? I would not unwittingly fail to abide by the laws of this land, even for a single night."

Staring, Larry took a deep breath. He could not handle this now. "Tomorrow, Pharaoh, please." He could hear the desperation creeping into his voice, but if Ahkmenrah noticed, he did not acknowledge it. "Look, just don't kill anyone or break anything and that's enough to start." The Egyptian remained silent, giving no indication of how he felt about the night guard's feebly attempt at a compromise.

Inspiration struck. "Why don't I show you around the museum tonight? You didn't really get to see much of it last night, what with getting the tablet back and rounding up the exhibits and all that. And anyway, it'll give you and the other exhibits a chance to get to know each other better."

"I should like to see the museum," Ahkmenrah conceded graciously to the suggestion, "And to formally meet the other, ah, exhibits."

"Great," Larry said, beckoning for the Egyptian to follow as he headed for this exhibit's entrance. Ahkmenrah fell into step behind him after the briefest of moments.

* * *

Chaos once again reigned throughout the museum, and Larry could not have said why he was surprised that his fourth night on the job should be as chaotic as any of the past three. He stopped on the second floor balcony to gather his wits and his strength for the battle to come. Ahkmenrah came to stand beside him, also surveying the scene around and below them.

"This is-normal?" The Pharaoh asked, again trying to understand the world he was now a part of.

Larry sighed. "We're working on it. This is only my fourth night here."

"Yes, I recall that you had replaced the three previous guardians." The Pharaoh sounded curious now more than anything else and continued, "Did anarchy reign with your predecessors as it does now?

It took Larry a second to figure out that Ahkmenrah was asking if the museum had always been such a mess. "No," he scowled, embarrassed by the accusation and the implications that accompanied it.

The Egyptian backtracked immediately. "Forgive me, guardian of Brooklyn. I meant no disrespect, nor was it my intent to cast any aspersions on your abilities."

Searching for some sign of the President, Larry at first did not notice the Pharaoh waiting for some sort of response. It was not until he realized that Ahkmenrah had retreated several steps that he turned his attention back to the Pharaoh.

He quickly replayed the conversation in his mind. "It's fine, Ahk-Pharaoh. Really. It's just that I don't really have a clue what I'm doing here and for every step forward we seem to take about a hundred steps back, but we can't go back to doing things the way the previous night guards did."

Ahkmenrah was silent, and Larry wondered if the ex-mummy had understood a word he had said or if he simply had nothing to say to the confession.

"Other exhibits were also imprisoned." The Pharaoh finally guessed, stepping forward once more to stand beside the night guard.

Larry nods. "The Roman, Mayan, and Wild West dioramas were locked every night. The African exhibit too. Sacagawea was kept behind glass with Lewis and Clark until last night. We're still working on getting along."

Ahkmenrah nodded thoughtfully. "If I may, Larry, if you have abolished the laws in effect under your predecessors, it might be prudent to establish new ones." Looking out over the mass of confusion, he added softly, as if to himself, "Some method of dealing with disagreements when they do arise would not be amiss either."

Larry sighed, knowing the Egyptian was right. "So, what, no killing, no breaking," catching sight of Atilla as the Hun rounded a corner, he added, "no tearing or ripping."

"No violence," The pharaoh suggested thoughtfully. "They could perhaps turn to you for assistance in the event of a dispute. It would be a beginning, guardian."

Larry nodded in agreement. "We need to get everyone calmed down before we do anything else, though. Any ideas?"

The pharaoh regarded Larry strangely before asking, "You desire my assistance, guardian?"

"If you don't mind." Larry admitted. "I'll take all the help I can get."

Ahkmenrah nodded decisively and stepped away from the balcony. Straight and tall, wrapping dignity and nobility around him like a cloak, the pharaoh descended the stairway. He was every inch Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of his fathers.

Other exhibits stopped to stare as he passed, some in fear, some in surprise, and others out of curiosity. Larry followed a few paces behind, impressed at both the way the Egyptian made his way through the crowd and the way even the most difficult of exhibits seemed to instinctively get out of his way.

Ahkmenrah came to a halt in the middle of the guest room. By the time he did so, every exhibit in the room had gone completely motionless.

The pharaoh turned to Larry. "Guardian," he intoned gravely, offering him the floor. Larry stepped forward to stand next to the ex-mummy.

"Right. Okay, everybody. So first thing-nice job last night with the break in We got the tablet back, everybody made it home safe and sound, and we made some great progress in working together, so thanks, everybody." Clearing his throat, Larry looked around, moderately surprised that everyone was still listening. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"Just a reminder, this is Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. It's his tablet that brings everyone to life every night, and he was a big help in making sure everyone made it back safe last night." Larry paused, looking at the Egyptian, who bowed slightly to their audience. "Yeah, so, make him feel welcome.

"Last thing. Obviously there have been some changes since the old night guards left. I do not plan on locking anyone back up. I-" Larry was interrupted by a massive cheer. Everyone seemed to have a least understood that much in spite of the ever present language barrier that came of having exhibits from all parts of the world.

Larry waited, but it was not until Ahkmenrah stepped forward that the room again grew quiet.

"Right." Larry unconsciously echoed his earlier introduction. "Everybody liked that. Great. Nobody likes be locked up. We _are_ going to have to set a few rules, though, if this is going to work." A few groans were quickly stifled, and Larry continued.

"First, no killing. No breaking. No ripping or tearing. In fact, no violence. If you have a problem with someone, you can come to me and I will do my best to find a solution that works for everybody, okay?" He received nods across the room.

"We may add rules or change some as we go along if we need to." He stopped, then added at the last minute, "And of course it goes without saying, nobody leaves the museum, and everybody is back in their proper place in time for sunrise. That's all for now. Thanks, guys."

Larry watched as the exhibits began to wander off, some talking among themselves, but all considerably calmer than they had been.

"Well done, Lawrence, my boy!" The 26th President approached on horseback, weaving slowly through the crowd, Sacagawea mounted behind him.

"Thanks, Teddy." Larry replied before turning to the pharaoh waiting beside him. He might as well start introducing Ahkmenrah now, and really, could think of far worse places to start than with Teddy and Sacagawea.

"Pharaoh, this is Teddy Roosevelt-" The President dismounted and promptly took over.

"Theodore Roosevelt, twenty-sixth President of these United States of America. May I present Sacagawea, guide and member of the Lewis and Clark expedition."

Ahkmenrah bowed to the Shoshone woman. "I am Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of my fathers. It is an honor to make your acquaintance." He turned and offered a similar bow to Teddy. "And you also, President of the States."

"Please, Teddy will do." Roosevelt said, offering his hand to the pharaoh.

Ahkmenrah looked at the offered hand for a second before extending his own. Teddy then took the Egyptian's hand in his own, shaking it cheerfully but with somewhat more restraint than usual.

Sacagawea smiled and stepped forward to offer her own hand. This time the pharaoh did not hesitate, but took the woman's hand in his, gripping it gently before letting go.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Pharaoh Ahkmenrah." Sacagawea greeted him warmly. "We are grateful for the life your tablet brings to us each night. Thank you."

Ahkmenrah inclined his head. "You are most welcome, esteemed guide of Lewis and Clark." He said graciously.

Teddy looked from the Shoshone to the Egyptian. Taking off his glasses, he carefully wiped them clean before returning them to his face and clearing his throat uncomfortably. All eyes were immediately on the President, who shifted uneasily, his focus on the pharaoh.

Ahkmenrah, for his own part, met Roosevelt's eyes evenly, his expression once again molding into the polite, if cautious, mask Larry had witnessed earlier that night as the Egyptian waited for the President to speak.

"Pharaoh," Teddy began, and stopped for a moment before pushing on. "I must apologize, Pharaoh, for the wrong you have suffered these past fifty-four years at the hands of the night guards, and at my own."

Ahkmenrah's eyes widened slightly. He did not falter, however, but bowed ever so slightly in acknowledgment. "It is forgiven. I am certain you had little say in my confinement. Even had you successfully endeavored to free me, it is likely the previous guardians of the museum would have forced me back and then punished you as well."

Roosevelt did not deny it. Ahkmenrah had spoken the truth. "Nonetheless," the president insisted, "in allowing your imprisonment to continue I became equally guilty, and I fear my own thoughts and words where you were concerned have been less than kind over the years."

"I am free now." The Egyptian countered firmly. "What happened in the past is over and done, and it benefits no one to dwell on that which cannot be altered." The pharaoh considered Teddy a moment before adding, "I would welcome the opportunity to start afresh, if you are willing."

Teddy beamed at Ahkmenrah. "I am indeed, Pharaoh, my boy."

Larry spoke up. "I was, uh, going to take the pharaoh on a tour, actually, if you guys want to come along."

Teddy's eyes lit up. "Of course! We would be delighted, wouldn't we, my dear?"

Sacagawea nodded in agreement, and the four set off.

Larry was stopped by no less than six different parties of museum exhibits before they even left the entrance hall. He was pleased that the exhibits seemed to be taking his 'no fighting' rule seriously, but at the same time, he was already getting tired of the barrage of disagreements.

He did, of course, introduce Ahkmenrah to every disgruntled exhibit they came across.

Attila the Hun had recognized the Egyptian, and Ahkmenrah had immediately switched languages to introduce himself to the warrior, who, as far as Larry could tell, not only introduced himself to the pharaoh, but the three other Huns with him as well.

Larry had to admit he enjoyed the look on surprise on Roosevelt's face when Ahkmenrah began introducing himself to Atilla in the Hun's own language.

The pharaoh's meeting with the cavemen initially threatened not to go well, with Ahkmenrah proudly introducing himself and the cavemen only catching on to the first syllable of his name after the fourth attempt. Larry was not sure how the Egyptian managed to make each introduction sound as if it were being given for the first time, but somehow Ahkmenrah managed to do just that.

Finally, one of the cavemen caught on. Sort of.

"Ahk!" The other two quickly followed his example, and Larry watched in alarm as the three surged forward to surround the pharaoh, touching and poking and prodding and smelling and otherwise invading the Egyptian's space in ways that none of his companions were at all certain he would tolerate.

Ahkmenrah simply raised his eyebrows and reacted in kind, touching hair, clothes, and skin, delicately sniffing one of the men, and even smiling as one of the cavemen removed his headdress and attempted to place it on his own head.

After the cavemen they were nearly trampled by Rexy. Larry handled introductions, and again the pharaoh was sniffed and his personal space was invaded when the tyrannosaurus-rex skeleton began first nosing at him, then nuzzling his chest. Again, Ahkmenrah did not seem to mind.

The Egyptian's eyes widened at the car that came screeching to a halt at their feet, growing even wider when the two miniatures came tumbling out. Carefully lowering himself to his knees, Ahkmenrah leaned even closer to study Octavius and Jed, who for their part, peered back up at the ex-mummy.

"Ahk!" The cowboy hollered up at the pharaoh. "Never did get the chance ta say hi last night, or ta thank ya fer yer help!" He tipped his hat to the Egyptian.

Octavius clasped a hand to his heart and bowed. "My liege,"

"I regret the occurrences of the previous night did not afford me the privilege of a formal meeting." The pharaoh intoned gravely, placing his hand over his own chest and bowing slightly. On his knees, he somehow still made the action look elegant. "I am Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth king, ruler of the land of my fathers." Larry was certain he would never forget the Egyptian's official introduction, not after tonight.

The Roman bowed once more. "Octavius of Rome, my liege."

Jed offered another tip of his hat. "I'm Jed. Nice ta meetcha."

By the end of the night Ahkmenrah had formally met all of what Larry was beginning to think of as the major players in the museum, including the Easter Island Head, Lewis and Clark, and even Dexter, who upon meeting the pharaoh had immediately climbed onto his shoulder and remained there for the duration of the night.

* * *

Larry escorted the pharaoh back to his exhibit shortly before sunrise. He figured that he should probably put the stone slab back over the sarcophagus-he doubted any of the day shift would appreciate repeatedly having to replace it, and he would rather not risk the attention it might attract.

"Thank you for this, Larry Daley, guardian, of Brooklyn." The Egyptian said softly as they passed the giant statues guarding the entrance to the exhibit.

"What?" Oh, of course. No problem. Glad to do it."

When the pharaoh did not immediately begin preparing to return to his sarcophagus, Larry frowned. "Sunrise will be here soon." He reminded the Egyptian.

"Of course," Ahkmenrah replied immediately, retrieving the lid from his sarcophagus while Larry hovered, unsure whether his assistance would be welcome.

"Do you intend to stay for the breaking of dawn, guardian?" The pharaoh asked as he climbed into the golden sarcophagus.

"I have to put the stone back in place." Larry explained. "People will notice if it keeps getting left off."

Ahkmenrah lowered his head. "I understand, guardian. Then I shall bid you good morning, Larry Daley. May the blessing of the gods be upon you."

"You too." Larry said awkwardly as the Egyptian lay back and pulled the lid closed. A sunrise came and the magic faded, the night guard maneuvered the stone slab back into it proper place.


	4. Third Night: Nicky

Third Night: Nicky

* * *

Larry arrived at the museum an hour before sunset. His first act was to settle his son Nicky in his office until everyone had left for the night.

The last of the day shift left half an hour later. Larry left the car with Rexy's bone tied to it where Jed and Octavius could easily reach it. He then checked to make sure all outside exits were properly secured before heading to the Ancient Egypt exhibit.

This time the stone slab was already clear of the sarcophagus when the sun set and the museum came to life, though that detail did nothing to prevent the lid on Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus from flying across the room for the third night in a row.

Larry jumped. "Jeez! Is there any way you can _not_ do your best to destroy that thing every night?"

The Egyptian coughed and bowed his head. "My apologies, guardian," he said as he climbed out of the sarcophagus, "you have my word that it shall not happen again."

"That's fine. It's okay, you just scared me half to death." Larry explained. "Look, do you mind if I drop you off with Teddy? Nicky's with me tonight and I need to get back to the office and check on him before he wanders off to explore on his own. I'm sure Teddy can tell you a lot more about the museum that I can."

"Of course," Ahkmenrah agreed, falling into step beside the night guard before asking. "Your son is here?"

"Yeah. It's my weekend with him, so he'll be here tomorrow too." Larry explained.

They were halfway down the hall when the pharaoh spoke again. "I should like to renew my acquaintance with him if it is permitted, guardian."

"What?" Larry frowned, finally translating Ahkmenrah's words into the pharaoh asking if he could see Nicky again. "Sure." He agreed.

* * *

"Greetings, Nicky, son of Larry, guardian of Brooklyn." The Egyptian intoned solemnly while Larry's son stared. "I trust the night finds you in good health?"

Nicky swallowed once, then nodded. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Hi. How's it going?"

Ahkmenrah nodded gravely rather than answer. "I understand we shall enjoy the pleasure of your company tomorrow night as well as this one."

"Yeah," Nicky said again, "I get to spend this weekend with Dad. Next weekend I stay with Mom, though." Turning to his father, he asked, "Can we go see the museum now? Please?"

If the pharaoh realized he had been dismissed by a mere child, he did not appear bothered by the knowledge. "The President Teddy was to show me the museum this night. If it is permissible, guardian, he might accompany us."

Larry hesitated, perfectly aware that he would in all likelihood spend the majority of the evening settling arguments between different exhibits. He was just as aware of how boring that would be for his son. He was sure Sacagawea and Teddy would keep Nicky safe once he reached them. Until then…

"You'll keep an eye on Nicky? Keep him safe?"

Ahkmenrah nodded. "Of course,"

"Don't let him out of your sight, not even for a moment, Pharaoh."

"By Rah, I swear it." The Egyptian declared.

Hoping he had not made a mistake, Larry watched them go.

* * *

It was only half past midnight and the night guard had lost count of how many disagreements he had helped settle when he crossed paths with his son and the pharaoh near the Inuit exhibit.

"Hey, Nicky! How's it going?"

Nicky looked up, grinning, his eyes bright. "Great, Dad! This place is so cool." Turning to the Egyptian, the boy added, "Not cool as in cold. Cool as in 'I like it'."

"I see," Ahkmenrah nodded sagely, "Am I to understand, then, that much of your language usage is metaphorical rather than literal?"

Nicky faltered. "Uh,"

"I was not actually 'killing you' earlier," the Egyptian supplied, "nor was the ocean life exhibit actually comprised of rocks."

Larry noted that both Teddy and Sacagawea seemed content to stay out of the current discussion on linguistics. Catching Teddy's attention, he raised his eyebrows in a question, but the President only smiled. Larry resigned himself to asking for clarification later.

"I guess a lot of it is." Nicky had recovered. "It's definitely not as fancy as the way you talk. You talk like you're a king or something."

"I _am_ a king." The pharaoh reminded the boy without irritation.

"Oh, yeah. Yes." The boy laughed. His initial meeting with the Egyptian had in no way colored the way he viewed Ahkmenrah-Nicky was not remotely frightened of, or intimidated by, the pharaoh.

"I remember," Ahkmenrah nodded as he spoke, "yeah, sure, right, okay: these are all confirmations." Larry gawked at the strangeness of modern words rolling off the Egyptian's tongue.

Nicky giggled and rolled his eyes, though he was more amused than anything else. "You're weird."

The pharaoh drew himself to his full height, his hand on his heart, and Larry stepped forward, just in case-he had not read up on Ahkmenrah himself, but his research so far had suggested that rulers, knights, and warriors generally did not react well to being insulted-or laughed at.

Larry waited with baited breath as the Egyptian looked haughtily down his nose at the boy who had spoken against him. "Yes, well, consider the matter from my perspective." He said.

"That was lame." Nicky told him, shaking his head, "You're terrible at comebacks."

"I have not had the opportunity for practice in a long time, and I certainly have never done so in English." The pharaoh explained imperiously. "It was not considered wise to risk offending someone who could have you executed with a simple wave of his hand."

"Are you going to have me executed?" Nicky asked, more curious than worried.

Ahkmenrah shook his head. "Your father, guardian of Brooklyn, decreed that there should be no killing. You are safe from my wrath, young Daley."

Nicky hot the Egyptian a questioning glance. "Wrath?" he asked.

"Fury. Rage. Anger." The boy's face cleared at that last word.

"You're not angry." He told Ahkmenrah with a certainty his father did not share.

"Am I not?" The ex-mummy demanded, somehow drawing himself up even taller.

"No." Nicky was confident in his assessment. The ancient Egyptian pharaoh stared down at the boy, who met his gaze unflinchingly.

"Very well," Ahkmenrah conceded, "I am not."

Nicky snorted. "I knew you weren't." He said, then added, "Were not."

"Another of your-contractions?" The pharaoh asked, and Nicky nodded.

It suddenly occurred to Larry that while Ahkmenrah spoke English, the English he had learned had been British English over fifty years ago. How much, he wondered, had the language changed in that time?

It also occurred to the night guard to wonder if the Egyptian understood half of what Larry had been telling him all this time. His mind flashed back to two nights ago and a nerve-induced explanation of Nicky's custody arrangement.

The pharaoh had offered no comment on the outpour of words coming from Larry's mouth, but his expression had quickly gone from one of regal confidence to one markedly similar to the open bewilderment that he had demonstrated upon witnessing the chaos of the museum exhibits shortly after their escape from the pharaoh's tomb.

Larry was distracted from that line of thinking when Nicky suddenly let out a huge yawn. It was nearly one in the morning. Larry had agreed to let Nicky stay up and explore the museum until midnight, at which time he was to return to the night guard's office and settle down on the couch for the night.

Larry had originally set bedtime at nine, but after considerable negotiation (or rather, pleading, begging, and so on) they had come to a compromise: nine o'clock bedtime on Wednesdays and Sundays, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and Nicky was to finish all his homework, without complaint, before he was allowed to explore the museum.

"Bedtime, Nicky." Larry said. "Past time, actually."

"Aww, Dad," Nicky yawned, but there was little strength behind the protest. Instead he turned to Teddy, Sacagawea, and then Ahkmenrah. "Night, everyone. Thanks for taking me around the museum."

Teddy smiled and clasped the boy firmly on the shoulder. "Our pleasure, Nicholas. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow."

Ahkmenrah bowed. "May the gods watch over you as you sleep, Nicky, son of Larry, guardian of Brooklyn."

"You too." Nicky replied, yawning again. "Night."

* * *

The boy was nearly asleep on his feet by the time they returned to Larry's office.

"Have fun?" Larry asked as Nicky started getting ready for bed.

The boy nodded. "This place is awesome." He said, digging in his overnight bad for his pajamas. "Teddy knows just about everything there is to know about the museum, and Sacagawea is really nice."

"That's great. What about Ahkmenrah?" Larry asked, wondering if his son had intentionally neglected to mention the pharaoh with the others, though the boy had seemed comfortable around the Egyptian.

"He's cool." Nicky replied, unconcerned, as he changed. "I don't understand half of what he's saying, and he doesn't get half of what anyone else says, but at least he speaks English, even if it sometimes sounds weird." Nicky shrugged into his night shirt. "He's funny, but I think he's scared of saying the wrong thing."

Larry wondered where his son had gotten that idea. "Why would he be scared of saying the wrong thing?" He asked.

Nicky shrugged as he returned to his bad for his toothbrush. "Maybe he's shy around grownups."

"Grownups?" Larry repeated.

"Sure," Nicky nodded, unaware he had said anything unusual. He had found his toothbrush.

Larry followed his son into the bathroom. "Ahkmenrah say anything to make you think he's afraid of grownups?"

Nicky shook his head. "Not really. Why? Should he be?"

"Of course not," Larry assured his son.

"He was locked up for fifty years." The boy pointed out. "Why?

Larry sighed. "I don't know why, Nicky. The old night guards, they did that."

"But you didn't let him out either." Nicky pressed. Larry sighed and rubbed his face wearily with his hands.

"I know. I was wrong." Larry admitted. "We all were."

Nicky turned to face his father, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "Maybe he's scared of being locked up again."

An icy lump settled in Larry's stomach. "Did he say that?"

Again, Nicky shook his head. "No,"

"Then why would you think that?"

Nicky shrugged. "I didn't, just-he's careful what he says around everyone, and you wanted to know why, so maybe he's shy around grownups. Then you wanted to know why he was scared of grownups, so maybe it's because he's been locked in a coffin for the last fifty years. I don't know." Nicky looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd be worried about being locked back in if I'd just gotten out."

Larry looked down at his son. Whether the rest was mere speculation or whether it were something else, the boy had a point. Larry could not imagine what it would be like to be locked away for fifty-four years, but whether or not he was going to be locked back up again anytime soon would undoubtedly be one of his biggest concerns.

Here was another thing he needed to talk to the pharaoh about, and soon.

He did not make it back to Ahkmenrah's exhibit until after sunrise. The Egyptian had closed himself back inside his sarcophagus, leaving Larry only the stone slab to deal with. The night guard made a mental note to make sure tomorrow night that Ahkmenrah knew they had no intention of locking him away again.

* * *

 **So...thanks for all the reviews. And for following my story. It makes me feel good. :)**

 **KarToon12: the movie just kind of brushed over the line about Ahk taking command of his kingdom, but I was watching the movie with my brother recently, and that particular line kind of stuck out, and I wondered, if they were so worried about him getting out, if that wouldn't cause at least a little concern...personally, I like to think that Ahkmenrah found himself freed and in what looked at least a little like an Egyptian tomb, and maybe for a few brief moments thought he was back home? Hmm...**

 **Time Traverser: Both, I think. I would be worried about how long this new freedom was going to last, personally, and I think a lot has changed since he last left his sarcophagus.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: Thanks! I'm glad you like my portrayal of Ahk, and having read and greatly enjoyed your own stories from this world, it means a lot that you enjoyed this.**


	5. Fourth Night: Rest

Fourth Night: Rest

For the fourth night in a row Larry somehow managed to be in the Egyptian exhibit when the sun set, getting there in time to remove the stone slab before the pharaoh awoke for the night.

This time the night guard was more perplexed than alarmed when the lid flew off the sarcophagus and across the room, landing with a loud crash. The Egyptian sat up and coughed, leading Larry to wonder exactly how 'stuffy' it was in there.

"We talked about this last night." Larry reminded the ex-mummy as he climbed out of his sarcophagus. "Remember, we were going to try _not_ throwing the lid across the room?"

The pharaoh met his gaze, eyes suddenly wider than Larry had seem them in the admittedly few days he had known the Egyptian.

"My apologies, guardian." Ahkmenrah's voice, when he spoke, was so low the night guard almost did not hear him. "In my eagerness to be free, I had forgotten your-request. I beg your forgiveness, Larry, guardian of Brooklyn." The pharaoh clasped his hand to his chest and dropped to one knee, his head bowing so that Larry could no longer see those too-wide eyes.

"It's okay," The night guard said quickly, unnerved by the display. "Don't worry about it. Just-it's something to work on, right? I'd probably be in a hurry to get out too."

When Ahkmenrah did not respond, Larry tried again, thinking that maybe Nicky had been right in his estimation of the Egyptian's understanding of modern English.

"Okay." Larry took a deep breath. " _Try_ to open your sarcophagus a little more gently each night because we do not want to have to deal with getting it repaired. That could raise some difficult questions and attract attention we do not need." Larry paused. The pharaoh still had not moved. "Do you understand what I am saying, Pharaoh?"

Eyes still on the ground, Ahkmenrah nodded, but remained on one knee. "I understand, guardian." He murmured softly.

Larry looked the Egyptian over, thinking. Something was still not right between the two of them, though he was not sure what, exactly.

"I am not angry." Now he was speaking to the ex-mummy much as he had Nicky when the boy was upset after Larry had addressed some aspect of the boy's behavior. He was unsure exactly why he had chosen to address the ancient Egyptian in such a manner, but would worry about it later.

"I know you probably want to get out of your sarcophagus as quickly as possible, and I do not blame you. If you can try to be a little more careful in the process, that is all I ask. If you forget, or sometimes you still rush a little, then I will still not be angry, as long as you are making an effort. Do you understand?"

It was surreal. The entire conversation had gone from a moderately friendly reminder to try not to explode out of his sarcophagus every night to the kind of conversation a parent had with their kid when they misbehaved.

It was weird. Ahkmenrah was not a kid. He was certainly not Larry's kid. And he certainly was not in trouble.

Why, then, did Larry feel like the Egyptian was waiting for some sort of punishment?

After an eternity, the pharaoh spoke. "I understand, guardian." He confirmed, though his voice was still too quiet and he still made no attempt to rise, and looking at him was beginning to make Larry's knees hurt in sympathy.

Larry sighed. Now what? He had no idea what to say to get the pharaoh back on his feet. Thinking over the entire bizarre conversation, Larry tried to figure out what he had missed.

He had casually reminded Ahkmenrah to try to be more careful, and in response the Egyptian had immediately offered an incredibly formal apology, even going as far as to drop on one knee and ask for forgiveness…maybe that was it. Larry eyed the still kneeling pharaoh uncertainly, hoping he was right.

"Um, Pharaoh?" He asked. He received the slightest tilt of the head in response. "You are forgiven."

The words felt false and presumptuous as they came out of the night guard's mouth, but the effect they had on the Egyptian was instantaneous and somewhat startling.

In one fluid movement Ahkmenrah rose to stand fully on both feet for all of three seconds before sinking into a deep, full bow, hand still clasped over his heart.

"You are most gracious, guardian." While his voice remained soft, Larry no longer had to strain to hear him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Larry replied, still not entirely sure of himself, but grateful to at least be making progress. At least, he thought he was making progress. He sincerely hoped he was.

Already tired, Larry resisted the urge to put off the conversation he had intended to have with the pharaoh before this one had appeared out of nowhere and slapped him in the face.

"So…" he said awkwardly, trying to figure out how to start up a conversation about whether or not the Egyptian standing in front of him thought he was going to be locked back in his sarcophagus for saying the wrong.

Ahkmenrah watched him in silence, waiting.

"Nicky said he enjoyed himself last night." Larry said instead. "He really liked seeing the museum with you and the others."

The pharaoh nodded in acknowledgement, but the polite yet guarded expression was back, and he seemed content to leave the burden of trying to make a conversation happen to Larry.

"What about you?" Larry forged on. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"I did, guardian." Ahkmenrah replied solemnly. "Thank you. I am most grateful for the continued opportunity to explore."

"Of course," Larry replied, the saw an opening. "You do know it's permanent, right? Nobody's going to lock you in again."

Ahkmenrah blinked. "I-" he faltered. "I do not understand."

It was Larry's turn to blink. "You are free to leave your sarcophagus every night. I will not lock you back inside again. No one will." Larry paused, thinking. He wanted to be absolutely certain the Egyptian understood. "You are free to come and go as you please in the museum. Do you understand?"

For a log second Ahkmenrah remained frozen in place, watching Larry with wide eyes. Recovering, the pharaoh nodded clumsily. "Yes-no." He quickly corrected, his voice once again dropping to a level difficult for Larry to make out.

The admission surprised the night guard, and worried him. He was not sure how to say this any more clearly, and he found himself wondering why he even needed to. "What-what part did you not understand?" He finally asked.

Ahkmenrah shifted slightly before answering. "You said that I am free to leave every night. That I will not be imprisoned again?" His eyes locked onto Larry's face with an intensity that left the night guard immensely uncomfortable-and somewhat afraid, though he could not have explained why he felt the latter.

Larry nodded. "Yes. I said that. What part of it don't you understand?"

The Egyptian hesitated for less than a second. "Is there some other task you have for me, then, guardian?"

"What?" Larry asked, completely nonplussed.

Another shift in balance, and the pharaoh tried to explain. "I hoped-I had thought, given your generous nature, the freedom of these past nights to be some sort of reward for assisting you in defending the museum and its occupants, but I fear I have been of little use to you since then, guardian. Since you no longer required my assistance, I naturally assumed that I would fairly soon be required to return to my sarcophagus and remain during the night."

Thrown, Larry stared at the Egyptian.

"What?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, did you-did you just tell me you thought I only let you out because you helped us when Cecil and those other guys tried to steal you tablet, and that you thought I was going to lock you back in your sarcophagus because you weren't being useful enough?"

Ahkmenrah's dark eyes met Larry's evenly, but this time the night guard could clearly read the uncertainty in them. "Yes," he said, then amended, "I think so."

"Well, you're wrong. You don't have to be useful. I'm not locking you back in. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever." Larry was horrified. Where had the Egyptian gotten such an idea?

He was distracted when Ahkmenrah suddenly went into another full bow. "You are most kind, guardian. I again find myself indebted to you. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he told the ex-mummy for the second time that night. "Just out of curiosity, what made you think I was going to lock you away for not being useful?"

"At Cambridge I was only allowed out if they had work for me to do." Ahkmenrah replied, his tone dismissive.

There was a new kind of wrong, but Larry could only handle so much at once. Promising himself he would deal with this revelation later, he instead twisted his lips into what he hoped was a reassuring smiled. "Well, this isn't Cambridge." He told the pharaoh. "We do things differently here."

Ahkmenrah nodded in acknowledgment. "The gods chose well when they selected you, guardian." He intoned solemnly.

"Uh, thanks." Larry said, unsure how else to respond. "So, did you get to finish your tour of the museum last night?" he asked, turning and heading toward the exhibit entrance and hoping the Egyptian followed.

Ahkmenrah fell into step behind him. "Your-President offered to continue to act as my guide this evening, if that is permissible, guardian."

Larry shook his head. "You don't have to ask for my permission to do stuff, Pharaoh. You are free to do as you like, just like everyone else here in the museum. Okay?"

"Yes, thank you." The Egyptian replied. After a moment, he added "Your son, Nicky, was invited to accompany us as well."

"He told me." Larry said. "He seemed pretty excited about it, too."

* * *

They stopped by the office to pick up Nicky on their way to find Teddy. The boy greeted Ahkmenrah with a big smile as they entered.

"Hi!" He called, nearly bouncing across the room to join them. Coming to stand beside Larry, Ahkmenrah bowed his head.

"It is good to see you again, Nicky." The Egyptian greeted the boy formally. "I trust you are well?"

"Yeah. I'm great. How's it going?" When the pharaoh did not immediately reply, Nicky asked instead, "How are you?"

"I am quite well, Nicky, thank you." Ahkmenrah said.

"Great. Can we go see the museum now?" The boy demanded.

"Nicky," Larry scolded. So much for his son demonstrating any sort of manners in front of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh.

"Sorry," the boy said, though he clearly was not. "Can we, though?"

Ahkmenrah looked down at Nicky. "I also am eager to continue our previous night's activities." He conceded. Turning to Larry, he asked, "With your permission, guardian?"

"Sure." Larry agreed with less hesitation than the night before. "You two have fun."

Ahkmenrah bowed. "Thank you, Larry Daley, guardian of Brooklyn."

* * *

Larry found them later in the hall of minerals, Nicky and the pharaoh both listening as Theodore Roosevelt expounded upon the virtues of the room's contents in detail. Nicky bounced from exhibit to exhibit with barely contained glee while the Egyptian listened from a bench, his eyes absently tracing the boy's path around the room.

Teddy was the first to notice the night guard's arrival, breaking off from his lecture to offer a hearty "Lawrence, my boy! Good to see you!"

Nicky looked up. "Hey, Dad!" He shouted, waving from across the room.

"Hi, guys." Larry replied. He crossed the room, coming to stand by Teddy. "How's it going?"

"Great!" Nicky declared. "This place is so cool."

"Pharaoh," Larry called, "having fun?"

Ahkmenrah rose and made to join him. "This place is utterly fascinating, Larry." His voice carried clearly across the distance. "Your President is most knowledgeable concerning the exhibits." He stumbled slightly as he reached them, but quickly recovered, coming to stand next to Teddy as if nothing had happened.

Larry was not as willing as Ahkmenrah to ignore the slip. "Pharaoh? You okay?" The Egyptian's brows furrowed. "Are you well?" He asked. So far, other than turning to dust if caught outside in the sun, the museum exhibits had not demonstrated much in the way of vulnerabilities-Teddy Roosevelt had viewed being cut in half as little more than an inconvenience-but maybe the pharaoh was different.

"I am quite well, thank you, guardian." Ahkmenrah replied, but the polite mask was back again.

Nicky took one look at the Egyptian and snorted. "No you're not, dude. You've been yawning all night, whenever you think no one's looking. You nearly fell asleep at the last exhibit."

Ahkmenrah blinked at Nicky a few times before Larry intervened. "Yawning? Are you tired? _Can_ you get tired?" Did anyone else get tired? Did museum exhibits need sleep? Didn't they sleep, sort of, during the day?

Ahkmenrah shifted his weight, and Larry wondered if he were uncomfortable with the question. "I am fine, guardian, you need not concern yourself with my well-being." Something in the pharaoh's answer settled wrong with the night guard, and he steeled himself before pushing on.

"Pharaoh. Do you get tired?" He asked, wondering exactly how many of these conversations he was going to have to have with the Egyptian.

Ahkmenrah's eyebrows lifted, and he met Larry's gaze evenly. "Yes, guardian. I do, from time to time, grow weary." He admitted, adding, "It is generally little more than an inconvenience, however, it would seem that accessing the tablet's magical abilities has somewhat of a draining effect on my stamina."

Larry frowned as he puzzled through pharaoh's answer. "Using the tablet made you tired? More tired?" Ahkmenrah nodded. "Do you sleep? Do you need a nap or something?" Another thought occurred to him. "Have you been hiding this since the night you used the tablet?"

"I have not been _hiding_ anything," the pharaoh replied, his tone mild. "I have had less energy than I am accustomed to since using the tablet, however, I was unaware that you might consider such information worthy of your attention."

Larry blinked. "You didn't think I'd care?" Hesitantly, the Egyptian nodded.

"It has been of little import in the past." He confessed. At Cambridge, Larry realized, they had not cared. His predecessors certainly had not-they had left the Egyptian imprisoned for fifty-four years.

"Well it matters here." Larry told the pharaoh. "It matters to me, so what do we need to do? _Do_ you need a nap?"

"A…nap?" Ahkmenrah repeated uncertainly.

"Nap." Nicky put in helpfully. "When you sleep, but only for a little while, maybe an hour or two."

"Ah." Ahkmenrah's expression cleared. "An hour or two of sleep would be most appreciated."

"Okay," Larry said, "do you want to crash-er-rest on the couch in my office, or would you prefer your own exhibit-"

"Your-office should be sufficient, if you are certain it would not be an imposition."

"What? No, of course not. Come on, Pharaoh." Ahkmenrah dutifully followed Larry out of the mineral exhibit, but he was no longer managing to hide his yawns by the time they finally reached the night guard's office.

"Here you go, Pharaoh." Larry led the Egyptian to the ratty looking couch that had been part of the office when the current night guard started at the museum.

"Thank you, guardian." Ahkmenrah said gratefully, settling without hesitation onto the ragged piece of furniture. He must have been more tired than he had let on, because he was out before Larry could ask if he needed a blanket.

* * *

Ahkmenrah must have been truly exhausted. He was still fast asleep when Larry returned to put Nicky to bed. The pharaoh never so much as stirred when the night guard turned on the light.

"He's really tired." Nicky whispered. "Maybe you should let him sleep, Dad."

"Go get ready for bed." Larry whispered back. "I'll take care of Ahkmenrah."

The pharaoh looked significantly younger sprawled out unconscious on the couch. His face was far more open and far more relaxed than Larry remembered seeing it in the last four nights.

Reluctantly, Larry went to wake him. "Pharaoh? Ahkmenrah?" When the Egyptian did not respond, Larry hesitantly reached forward a place a hand on his shoulder. "Hey,"

The pharaoh's eyes flew open, and his breath caught. Ahkmenrah muttered something in what Larry guessed was Egyptian, and his eyes focused.

"Guardian," the pharaoh said blearily. Larry could see the smudges under his eyes and wondered when the last time he had gotten any rest had been. Sitting up, Ahkmenrah looked around, still not completely awake.

"Hey," Larry said softly, "sorry to wake you, but it's Nicky's bedtime. I can pull out the couch if you'd like to rest a bit more and don't mind sharing."

Ahkmenrah looked at him. "I have no idea what you just said."

"That's all right," Larry told him, "just stand up for a minute, okay?"

The pharaoh stood up slowly, and watched sleepily while the night guard maneuvered the couch into a pull-out bed that could easily hold both his son and the Egyptian, as long as Ahkmenrah did not have a problem with sharing the space with another person.

The pharaoh slumped back onto the bed without comment, too tired to bother trying to figure out what was happening. Larry smiled in spite of himself-and the nagging worry in the back of his mind. How much sleep did the Egyptian need? How long had it been since he had last slept?"

Nicky had returned from brushing his teeth and was staring at the bed, disbelief etched into his features, by the time Larry had found blankets for both of them.

"He's really tired." Larry whispered. "Do you mind?"

Nicky shrugged. "It's okay," he said, crawling into the empty side of the bed. Larry draped a blanket over his son, then, after a moment's consideration, spread the other one over the sleeping pharaoh.

* * *

Half an hour before sunrise, Larry finally woke the Egyptian. "Hey," he whispered, placing a hand on the pharaoh's shoulder.

Ahkmenrah stirred, rolling over to stare groggily up at the night guard. "Larry?" he mumbled, his voice think with sleep.

"Sorry to wake you." Larry murmured the apology.

"Dawn," the Egyptian yawned, sitting up.

"You've got about thirty minutes." Larry said. Ahkmenrah nodded and maneuvered noiselessly to his feet, careful not to disturb the child sleeping beside him.

"Thank you," the pharaoh whispered, stretching briefly.

Larry nodded. "Anytime. Seriously, you are more than welcome to do this any time you need to, okay?"

"I understand." Ahkmenrah replied. "Again, thank you."

* * *

 **SummerMistedDragon: Again, thanks for reviewing. You're too kind.**

 **TimeTraverser: They're going to have a talk soon about Ahk not being locked up any more-a real talk. It's actually already written out, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.**

 **TeddyXSac: Thanks! Glad you liked it. I think that Teddy and Ahk could probably relate to each other pretty well, once they got to know each other better.**


	6. Fifth Night: Babe

Fifth Night: Babe

* * *

Larry was pleasantly surprised when instead of throwing the lid to his sarcophagus across the room as he had the last four nights, Ahkmenrah instead simply lifted it straight up before easing it to one side. Sitting up, the pharaoh carefully lowered the lid to the ground, then coughed. Turning, he caught sight of the night guard.

"Good evening, Larry Daley, guardian of Brooklyn." The Egyptian greeted him, climbing out of his sarcophagus. He looked a lot better than he had the night before, Larry decided. The sleep had done him good. "I trust you are well?"

"I am," Larry confirmed, deciding to simply go along with the formality, "and yourself? How are you, Pharaoh?"

"I feel much better for having been granted the opportunity to avail myself of some much needed rest, thank you." Ahkmenrah confessed, and Larry smiled, pleased at the admission.

"Any plans for tonight?" Larry asked, curious as to whether or not Ahkmenrah would go for another night of touring the museum with Teddy, or if he had something else in mind.

The pharaoh remained silent for a moment before answering, "Your President has been gracious enough to offer himself as a guide these past nights. I have learned much, and seen many wonders. I have also met a great many people-and they have met me. I am grateful for all these opportunities, and yet, a chance for some peace and quiet would not go unappreciated."

As usual, Larry had to work through the Egyptian's reply. "You want to go somewhere quiet." Peace and quiet were generally in short supply once the sun had gone down. Larry sympathized; he could do with a bit more of both himself most nights. "There's a loading dock out back. I usually keep it locked, but I'm pretty sure you're smart enough not to end up outside and end up wandering around the city."

"I do not intend to leave." Ahkmenrah assured him. "You have my word."

"I trust you." Larry told him. "Come on."

* * *

The reached the loading dock an hour later, and Larry had to admit that he was grateful for the sudden quiet-he had been stopped by seven angry groups of exhibits on his way.

"Maintaining peace can be a difficult burden." The pharaoh commented as the door closed behind them and they left the general noise of the museum behind.

Larry let out a weary sigh. "I keep wondering if I haven't just made things worse." He admitted.

"For my part, you have not." The Egyptian intoned solemnly, then added more lightly, "It seems as if the discord has grown worse because they come to you for guidance rather than fighting among themselves. You are consequently more aware of each individual agreement. They _are_ getting better, however…" the ex-mummy trailed off, his expression guarded as if he had suddenly realized he had spoken aloud.

"What?" Larry asked, curious. Laughing, he added, "If you're offering advice, I could definitely use it. Especially from someone who used to rule an entire country."

Reassured, Ahkmenrah continued, "It is a good beginning, Larry, however, you cannot continue in this manner indefinitely. You will-drive yourself to an early grave." The Egyptian paused. "Forgive me, I am not certain that is the most appropriate phrasing. You are exhausting yourself, and one cannot rule if he has made himself too ill to do so."

Larry considered this. Ahkmenrah had a point. Whether the tablet was effecting him as it had the previous night guards or not, he was exhausted by the end of the night, barely making it home before collapsing onto the couch in his living room-the bedroom was too far away to even think about.

"What's the alternative?" He asked. "I won't lock everyone up like the last guys did."

Ahmenrah's eyebrows furrowed as he thought. "You might seek the assistance of those you feel you can trust to also settle the disagreements of the museum inhabitants-those the rest of the museum could trust as well-as a start. Long term, it would be most beneficial for the exhibits to be capable of settling at least the less severe of their own differences, preferably without violence, yes?"

"Yes," Larry agreed, "but how?"

The pharaoh frowned. "Communication is certainly a factor. I cannot understand you if I cannot speak your language."

"So what? English lessons?" Larry groaned, trying to imagine teaching English to Huns, Mayans, Inuits, and who knew what else.

"Many of the exhibits understand some English, even if they do not speak it. Intentionally teaching the language would only serve to hasten the process." Ahkmenrah replied. "It might also serve as a welcome distraction. The common people need something to occupy their time, lest they grow bored, lazy, or quarrelsome." He added.

"Something to do?" Larry echoed. "You mean, like a game night?" He laughed. "Movies, maybe? Karaoke night at the museum."

Ahkmenrah's head tilted ever so slightly to one side. "I do not know what you are saying."

"Never mind," the night guard said. "I'll think of something. Thanks for the advice."

"Of course," the Egyptian bowed his head.

Larry left Ahkmenrah there after receiving on last 'thank you' from the pharaoh.

* * *

He found out from Nicky when he dragged him out of the diorama room at bedtime that Ahkmenrah had not only left the loading dock, but had been looking for him.

"When did you see him?" Larry asked. "Was he okay? What did he want?"

Nicky shrugged. "He wasn't hurt, but he did look worried. He wouldn't say what he needed, just that he needed to speak with you. He said it was important, though."

"When did you see him?" Larry wanted to know.

Another shrug. "A couple hours ago, maybe." The boy said.

Larry went searching for the pharaoh as soon as Nicky was settled, checking the loading dock, the front hall, and any other place he could think of that Ahkmenrah might have gone.

He did not find the Egyptian, though he did run into a few more people who said Ahkmenrah had been looking for him a few hours ago. At least the thought of the ex-mummy freely roaming the museum did not seem to be cause for alarm in the minds of anyone he spoke to.

As a last-ditch effort the night guard made his way to Ahkmenrah's exhibit, though as far as he knew, the pharaoh had spent as little time as possible there since his release, though whether it was an unwelcome reminder of his imprisonment or that Ahkmenrah found the rest of the museum far more interesting Larry could not have said. Whatever the reason, the night guard doubted he would find the Egyptian there.

He was wrong. Larry found Ahkmenrah, lazily pacing the room, murmuring softly in his native tongue, a bundle of blue cloth held against his chest.

Ahkmenrah heard his arrival and turned. "Guardian," he spoke gently still, "I sought your presence earlier, but was unable to find you."

"I heard." Larry replied. "Sorry about that. What's up?"

"Forgive me," the pharaoh began, "for opening the door to the outside world, Larry Daley." He did not kneel this time. "I heard a sound. A cry."

"You went to see what it was." Larry realized, taking a second, more suspicious look at the bundle in the Egyptian's arms.

"I did not go far. This was left outside the door. Abadoned." Ahmenrah frowned. Eyes flashing, he offered the baby he held up for inspection. "There is nothing wrong with him." The pharaoh insisted. "No reason to abandon such a healthy, handsome young son."

Looking down at the bundle sleeping peacefully in the Egyptian's arms, Larry was inclined to agree with Ahkmenrah. The night guard reached out for the baby, and Ahkmenrah allowed him to take it without reservation.

As soon as the child left the pharaoh's arms it came awake and began screaming. Bringing it to rest against his own chest, the night guard bounced lightly on his feet, trying to shush the baby. When that proved unsuccessful, he offered the child back to Ahkmenrah.

The baby quieted instantly. "Well," said Larry, amused as the Egyptian began rocking the baby as if he had been comforting children all his life.

A thought occurred to the night guard. "You're very good at this." He said. "Did you-were you?"

Ahkmenrah shook his head. "I neither married nor fathered any children before my death." He replied gently.

"Ah. Sorry." Larry apologized, suddenly uncomfortable.

"It matters not." The Egyptian replied. Looking down at the child he held, asked, "What do we do with him? I will not abandon a perfectly healthy child to die out in the cold."

"Absolutely not." Larry agreed, looking over the baby once more, nestled against Ahmenrah's chest and sleeping soundly. "I can take it to the hospital in the morning." He offered. "If he's sick, they'll e able to help him."

"They will care for him?" Ahkmenrah asked, concern clouding his features. "Even though he has been abandoned?"

"What else would they do?" Larry ased, but the Egyptian did not answer, and suddenly the night guard was reminded of a story he had heard long ago in Sunday School.

"What do we do with him until morning?" Ahkmenrah asked. He was still rocking the sleeping child, Larry noticed.

"He seems to like you." The night guard said thoughtfully. "Could you watch him? He'll do better here where it's quiet."

Some emotion Larry could not identify flashed across the pharaoh's face and was gone in an instant. "I will watch him." He agreed solemnly. "I will protect him with my life."

* * *

An hour before dawn Larry returned to Ahkmenrah's exhibit to find him walking the now awake infant around the room, singing softly. The night guard stopped in the entrance, watching and listening, reluctant to interrupt.

The Egyptian seemed naked; the tenderness, gentleness, and affection all warring for dominance on his face and undisguised longing in his eyes spoke volumes in ways that his quiet declaration that he had not been a father had failed to do so before. As he cuddled the child in his arms and sang lilting tunes in a pure, sweet tenor, it was obvious that the man had already fallen in love with the babe in his arms.

Ahkmenrah spotted the night guard standing near the entrance, but made no effort to mask his emotions. "Sunrise is nearly upon us." he remarked heavily.

Larry sighed, his heart going out to the young man. "We have a little time left." He said. "I'm sorry, Pharaoh. He can't stay."

Ahkmenrah drew in a deep breath and looked away. "I know," he admitted.

Larry tried to think of something, anything, to make the situation better, and came up with nothing. This simply was not something he could fix.

"For what it's worth," he found himself saying, I think you would have made a great father."

For a long time, the Egyptian did not reply, but simply stood singing and gently bouncing the child in his arms.

"Thank you," he said at last, rousing himself. "Will you take him now? The morning will be here soon."

Larry took the baby, who remained mercifully quiet this time, and watched as the pharaoh settled himself back into his sarcophagus for the day.

* * *

 **I was trying to write something lighter. We all see how well that worked out.**

 **fadeb***ching: I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. I actually just started writing for Night at the Museum a few weeks ago, so hopefully there will be lots more to come. :)**

 **Time Traverser: Yes, he was exhausted! I think if they hadn't caught him at it, he would have ignored it a while longer, though.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: Again, thanks. You're very encouraging.**


	7. Sixth Night: Fear

Sixth Night: Fear

* * *

Larry made it to the museum later than he would have liked, but still technically early. Five minutes did not give him much time to prepare for the coming night, but it would have to do.

Make sure Rexy was entertained.

Make sure the exhibits that currently had no interest in getting along with the other exhibits (the Mayans came to mind) were closed. Since these few exhibits still had plenty of space for their occupants to move around in had nearly killed him at least once since he had started here, he did not feel too guilty about this.

He was at the top of the stairs, on his way to make sure Ahkmenrah was out, when something hit him. Suddenly the world was spinning, he was falling, and everything went black.

* * *

Larry woke up on the couch on his office to a sea of both familiar and unfamiliar faces. "What-?" He broke off, immediately regretting trying to sit up as suddenly everything hurt. Dizziness and nausea both hit at the same time and the night guard fell back, closing his eyes and hoping desperately that he did not end up puking on any of the apparently terrified exhibits currently looming over him.

"Lawrence?" He had never heard Teddy speak so softly. Groaning, the night guard opened his eyes.

"Teddy?" The 26th President standing over him broke into a relieved smile. "What happened?"

"One of the Huns plowed into you, lad." Teddy explained. "You fell down a flight of stairs, were completely out by the time I got to you. Gave us all quite a fright, I tell you."

Larry swallowed and bit back another groan as he tried to get his bearings. Someone passed him a cup of water and he accepted, drinking gratefully. Taking a second, more cautious attempt at moving, he managed to get himself upright. "How long was I out?" He asked.

"Nearly an hour." Teddy replied. "We were beginning to fear you might not wake up, Lawrence."

Larry leaned back against the couch with a sigh. Nearly an hour.

His eyes flew open and his head snapped forward. An hour-he quickly scanned the crowd, hoping and completely failing to find one face in particular.

"Did anyone let Ahkmenrah out?" He asked.

Teddy's eyes grew wide. "The Pharaoh..."

"He can't lift the lid, not when the stone is over it." Larry explained, lurching to his feet. "The stone has to go back in place during the day. He's trapped unless someone moves it."

Teddy paled. "Good Lord," he whispered.

Larry did not hear him. He was already across the room and half out the door. Gathering his wits, the President took off after the night guard.

* * *

Larry could hear the screams well before he reached the exhibit, and between the gut-wrenching guilt and the heart-pounding anxiety he somehow still managed to wonder if he would do much better at suddenly finding himself once again trapped in the constrictive darkness of an Egyptian sarcophagus.

Teddy was right beside him, fortunately, because Larry could no longer catch his breath and his vision was going spotty by the time they reached the pharaoh's prison. By the time they reached the sarcophagus the night guard could do nothing more than stand there gasping for breath.

Teddy did not hesitate, but quickly swept the stone slab aside. The lid flew off with a bang before the President even straightened up from his task, nearly hitting him in the face.

Immediately quiet, Ahkmenrah sat up, gasped, then coughed.

"Sorry," Larry gasped, finally catching his breath. The Egyptian stared at him.

"I _am_ sorry." Ahkmenrah finally agreed, and it was Larry's turn to stare.

"What? Why?" He asked, and the pharaoh's eyes widened.

"I should not have..." Ahkmenrah trailed off, searching. "Gone outside." He finished without conviction. It was a guess, Larry realized. He was trying to figure out what he had done wrong.

He was trying to figure out why he had not been let out.

Larry let out a deep breath. "You didn't do anything wrong." He said, rubbing his face with his hands. "I was on my way here to let you out when a Hun knocked me down the stairs. I just woke up like five minutes ago." He really hoped Ahkmenrah had understood all that. He was not sure he could handle one of their usual painstakingly formal heart-to-hearts tonight.

Ahkmenrah blinked. "Ah," he said, his voice mild, "I understand."

"I told you I wasn't going to lock you back up. Not for saying the wrong thing, not for doing something I don't like."

"Yes," the Egyptian agreed, "of course." The confirmation did nothing to reassure the night guard.

"You really don't like it in there, do you?" That had to be the head injury talking, Larry decided.

Ahkmenrah froze. A second passed, then two, and he remembered to breathe."I do not." He managed, his eyes wide. "It can be a bit stuffy in there."

Stuffy again. "It's more than that," Larry realized. "Every night except one, you've thrown that lid across the room in your eagerness to get out, and once you are out, you won't even look at it. It really bothers you, doesn't it?"

Ahkmenrah looked away. When he spoke again, his voice was cold. "I spent fifty-four years locked up in a coffin. After the first three months I knew I would remain there for the rest of eternity, trapped in the darkness, unable to breathe, or see, or hear anything other than the sound of my own screams. Unable to feel anything beyond pain and fear and loneliness. How would you react upon finding yourself imprisoned once more after being assured it would not happen again?"

Larry stared at the Egyptian in horror. "I-" he faltered. What could he say to that? What could anyone say to that?

"This should never have happened," he finally said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt, "and we will figure out a way to make sure it does not happen again." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I mean what I said. I will never lock you back in your sarcophagus. Not as a punishment, not because I'm angry, not because you said or did something wrong. If something happens, and there's a problem, then we will discuss it like mature adults who talk out their differences instead of locking each other in coffins. What happened to you was wrong, and it will not happen again, not while I am here. Do you understand?"

For an eternity, Ahkmenrah did not move. Then his shoulders dropped and he let out a deep breath, though he still did not turn to face the night guard.

"I understand." He said at last, his voice weary and tight with suppressed emotion.

"Good," Larry said, the knot in his chest easing just a little. "Do you need a minute, or something?"

Again he waited for the Egyptian to speak. "At Cambridge, if I did not do as they asked, or if I said or did something they did not like, they would lock me back inside." He admitted.

"It won't happen here." Larry promised. "You have my word."

Ahkmenrah inclined his head. "You are most gracious, guardian of Brooklyn." He said, retreating back into a protective cloak of formality.

Larry sighed. "No problem, he mumbled wearily.

Teddy decided it was time to speak up. "Back to the office for you, Lawrence. You're in no condition to be up and about." The night guard had no interest in arguing with the President, not then, and not when he began intercepting quarreling museum exhibits and sorting out their problems more quickly and easily than Larry could have himself that evening. Far from jealous, Larry was just relieved not to have to deal with the constant squabbling for once.

Ahkmenrah came with them, a quiet yet constant presence at the night guard's side. It was he who steered Larry to a bench every time Teddy was distracted, guiding him to a seat shortly before the night guard could fall over. He was exhausted, through and through, and on top of that, everything hurt.

* * *

When they finally made it back to the office, Larry dropped onto the couch gratefully. "Thanks, guys," he managed. Both the pharaoh and the President nodded.

"Of course, Lawrence, my boy." Teddy assured him. "You need to rest this evening. I will maintain order in the museum tonight while you do so." Turning to Ahkmenrah, he asked, "Will you stay with him?"

"I will." The Egyptian agreed.

Larry was too tired to be bothered by the fact that he had been left with a baby-sitter of sorts, and he was too tired to care that spending an evening with the polite, overly formal pharaoh was likely to be either incredibly awkward, or a lot of work.

A slender hand pressed a cup of water into his own hands, and he realized he was parched. "Thanks," he muttered gratefully, draining the cup. It was taken from him, and a moment later he was being gently maneuvered into a more comfortable position on the couch, a pillow under his head and a blanket gently draped over him.

"Thanks," he said again. As his tired and somewhat frazzled brain began to catch up, he reached out.

The pharaoh grew immediately still, though he did not remove his hand from the night guard's, allowing Larry a clear view of the bruised and battered appendage.

"What is this?" Larry asked, his voice quiet. Carefully, he reached for the Egyptian's other hand. Ahkmenrah did not resist, allowing the night guard to study both hands.

"You were pounding on the lid." Larry realized. "Scratching too." He thought back, trying to remember if he had noticed the state of the Egyptian's hands the first night they had let him out.

When Ahkmenrah remained silent, Larry sighed. Releasing the pharaoh's hands, he struggled back into a sitting position. "All right, bring me that first aid kit." He pointed. "The box, there on the shelf. It has a red cross on it."

Ahkmenrah obeyed, bringing the kit to the night guard, who dropped in unceremoniously beside him and began rummaging around. "Hold out your hands." He said, finding a bottle of antiseptic and some gauze. "This is probably going to sting."

The Egyptian did not flinch. He watched wordlessly as Larry cleaned and bandaged his hands, first one, then the other, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"They will be healed tomorrow." He said at last, when Larry closed the first aid kit and moved it to the floor.

"So I should ignore it?" Larry wanted to know. "Let you suffer tonight?"

"It is a minor inconvenience." Ahkmenrah said, then caught himself. "Forgive me, I did not mean to sound ungrateful. I am simply unused to dealing with people like you. Thank you."

Larry shrugged, too tired to be upset. "Well, you're going to have to get used to it eventually." He told the pharaoh.

* * *

 **KarToon12: Ahk and Nicky as brothers? I suppose, after a fashion, it is not impossible...Also, I think Ahk will gradually share more and more about his time at Cambridge.**

 **Time Traverser: You're right, of course. I wonder if he would consider it a failing that he was unsuccessful in producing an heir...**

 **Lightraygirl: I'm glad you like it! There hasn't been much development so far with Teddy and Ahk's relationship so far, but I would like to get into that more in the future.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: I don't know which is more flattering, that you keep coming back for more, or that you keep taking time to review.**


	8. Seventh Night: Hunger

Seventh Night: Hunger

* * *

Larry was rapidly coming to regret his decision to bring leftover pizza for 'lunch.'

He had brought food before, usually sandwiches, and while some of the exhibits had been curious-they remembered food, of course, though some had never seen a sandwich before-they were also made of wax or plastic or whatever else, and consequently did not need to eat. Larry's 'lunches' had so far been safe from all but a few looks here and there.

Absently the night guard wondered if they _could_ eat, even though they did not need to, or if food would hurt them or make them sick or somehow upset the tablet's magic. Larry was beginning to realize there was a lot more to this job than keeping the exhibits from trashing the museum during the night and making sure no one got outside.

Larry had not even finished heating up his leftover pizza in the microwave in his office before it began to occur to him that pizza, of all things, might not have been a good idea. The smell alone suddenly had two Huns, three knights, and Sacagawea appearing in his office.

"What is that?" the Shoshone wanted to know.

"Uh, pizza." Larry told her. "Bread, tomato sauce, cheese, and-in this case-sausage and pepperoni." It occurred to him that most of the exhibits would not have had the opportunity to try pizza before.

"It smells heavenly." Sacagawea breathed in the scent of pizza being heated in a microwave, and Larry made a mental note to ask Ahkmenrah if he knew whether the exhibits could eat or not.

"It does," he agreed, "but I didn't really bring enough to share, and I have no idea if you guys even can eat."

Even more exhibits lurked outside his office door, drawn in by the admittedly enchanting odor of reheated pizza. Larry shook his head and made his way to the front desk-it was easier to keep an eye on things there while he ate. He had a considerable audience by the time he sat down.

The 26th President of the United States himself stopped to gawk at the night guard's lunch, and Larry found himself explaining the cheesy, greasy triangles for what felt like the hundredth time of the evening. This was followed by the now familiar apology that he had not brought enough to share and that he did not know if the museum exhibits could even eat.

"It will not harm them." Ahkmenrah said, though he did so through tightly pressed lips and a clenched jaw. That aside, the mask was back; the pharaoh's voice and expression had both gone into the ultra-polite, ultra-formal mask that Larry was beginning to associate with something being wrong with the Egyptian.

"Okay," Larry said slowly, "So you guys can eat. So maybe we'll get a pizza sometime, if everybody behaves themselves." It was a tactic he often used with Nicky. He had not expected it to result in the crowd of exhibits quickly backing off and leaving him in peace.

"Wow," Larry said to Teddy, who had remained, though at a polite distance. Picking up a slice of pizza, the night guard took a bite.

"It does seem an exciting prospect." The President admitted. "We have no need to eat, but we do have memories of having done so. The actual experience, however…"

"We'll get pizza, then. Tomorrow maybe, when Nicky comes." Larry decided, grinning at the way even Teddy's eyes lit up. Aware that Ahkmenrah had also remained with him, and turning to gauge the Egyptian's reaction, he asked, "You ever have pizza before, Pharaoh?"

Ahkmenrah shook his head. "I do not believe pizza had been invented when I was at Cambridge, guardian.

"Huh," Larry took another bite, his eyes narrowing. This time he did not miss the way the Egyptian studiously avoided looking at him while he chewed. "Do you eat? Did they feed you at Cambridge?" He kept his tone casual, glancing at Teddy and hoping the President got the message.

"As a general rule, they did not." Ahkmenrah replied, turning to meet the night guard's gaze. Larry hoped his expression was innocent, but he highly doubted it.

"But you do eat?" Larry pressed. "You do get hungry?"

"I do feel hunger from time to time." The Egyptian conceded blandly. "It was a distraction I learned to ignore during my time at Cambridge."

Larry wordlessly slid the second slice of pizza toward Ahkmenrah, who for his part regarded the night guard with a hawk-like intensity before finally reaching for the greasy slice. Without breaking eye contact the pharaoh raised the offering of meat, cheese, and tomato sauce on bread to his mouth and took a bite.

The rest of the slice disappeared in record time, confirming Larry's suspicion that the Egyptian had a tendency, when forced to discuss his needs, towards vast understatement, being otherwise inclined simply not to discuss them.

"How…" Larry paused, trying to come up with the right wording. "You're human, aren't you? I mean, you aren't wax or plastic or anything."

"I was once a living, breathing man." Ahkmenrah confirmed. "With the setting of the sun I become so once again."

Which means you get tired, and hungry." Larry continued, wishing he had gone ahead and grabbed the package of cookies he had decided against bringing at the last minute and left on the kitchen counter of his apartment. "What else does it mean?

Ahkmenrah shrugged, and the night guard wondered where he had learned the gesture and what exactly it meant that he was using it now. "I am as alive and as human as you are each night, Larry Daley."

Larry faltered, still trying to work out exactly what that meant. "But can you die? I mean, I guess not, you didn't starve to death or anything during the last fifty-four years…" Larry trailed off uncomfortably.

"The magic of the tablet keeps me alive," the pharaoh conceded, "though I still hunger. I still feel pain. I still grow weary."

Ahkmenrah's answer was still too vague for the night guard's liking. "I kind of need to know stuff like this." He said. "There's no reason for you to be hungry, or exhausted, or whatever. You need to let me know so we can do something about it, okay?"

The Egyptian nodded. "I understand, guardian." He said softly. "Thank you,"

"Yeah." Larry ran a hand through his hair. "So, is there anything else I need to know?"

Ahkmenrah was quiet for a moment, thinking, Larry hoped. "I have been informed that I am occasionally guilty of-temper tantrums?" He stumbled over the wording, and in spite of his serious expression, Larry had to fight hard to resist the urge to laugh.

"Temper tantrums?" He asked. "You? Do you have a temper, Ahhkmenrah?"

"I was told I was too accustomed to getting my way." The Egyptian conceded. "A pharaoh is not often told 'no.' I can act, ah, somewhat spoiled at times."

"I'll keep that in mind." Larry said, wondering what the admission had cost Ahkmenrah. "Look, I appreciate you telling me, and please, if anything else comes up, please don't hesitate to let me know, even if it seems silly, okay?"

Ahkmenrah nodded. "Yes, guardian."

It was only later, after the sun had risen and he was on his way home, that the oddness of Ahkmenrah's confession struck him, and he thought to wonder exactly who had accused the Egyptian of both being spoiled and having a temper. Aside from an understandable dislike for being locked in coffins, Ahkmenrah was one of the more even tempered exhibits in the museum, if anything, growing more polite and more controlled in his words and actions when upset, and as far as being spoiled, Larry had a difficult time thinking of anyone who was so continuously grateful simply for the ability to walk around the museum as spoiled-his reluctance to bring up actual, valid needs such as hunger and exhaustion only made the idea even more ridiculous.

He wondered if it had been someone from his time at Cambridge, and if so, what else Ahkmenrah's past aquaintances had done to the Egyptian. They had already done more than enough, in the night guard's opinion. His only consolation was that at least it was over, and Ahkmenrah was no longer at their mercy.

* * *

 **Tundra: I'm sure Sacagawea would not hesitate in the least to help Teddy, or anyone else. I kind of visualize her as the unofficial mother of the group...**

 **KarToon12: So far I've mostly focused on Larry and Ahk, haven't I? I definitely need to get more of the other guys in.**

 **TeddyXSac Fluff: I'm seriously thinking movie nights. Maybe some board games. May some arts and crafts?**

 **SummerMistedDragon: I think Ahk's trying to open up with Larry, but I also feel like it's difficult for him-I'm not sure he's used to the idea that he can show/admit to weakness, or that he's used to being able to confide in or fully trust someone else, and that colors his interactions with Larry and the others.**

 **Time Traverser: I have a theory about why he would have been treated that way, and it does have to do with the tablet and the fact that it brings him back from the dead...**

 **MyamotoUsagiFan: Wow! What a review. It's a lot to think about, and some of it I already plan on addressing-some of it I would like to work on, if you don't mind me borrowing some of your thoughts. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.**


	9. Eight Night: Blood

The pizza, of which Larry had ordered enough to feed a small army, was a success in more ways than one: not only did the museum inhabitants immensely enjoy the treat, they had been on their best behavior since Larry had mentioned the possibility of having it.

Ahkmenrah had wordlessly absconded with an entire pepperoni pizza, and expression of haughty grandeur on his face, defying anyone to comment, but none of the other exhibits had noticed, and Larry himself saw no reason for the Egyptian not to be allowed to consume an entire pizza, as long as he did not end up sick later.

Could Ahkmenrah _get_ sick?

Pizza demolished, the exhibits had stuck around in clusters instead of retreating back into their usual groups or getting in fights, trying to explain to each other, with varying degrees of success, what they had just experienced. Apparently pizza brought people together.

The night was going well. It was the most unified the museum had been since reclaiming the tablet, and Larry found himself reconsidering the pharaoh's suggestion that people needed something to do to keep them out of trouble. Maybe a movie night was not such a bad idea.

Nicky was off hanging out with Ahkmenrah, who seemed to be suffering no ill effects after annihilating an entire pizza on his own. The boy seemed to have taken a liking to the Egyptian, and Larry no longer worried about leaving him alone in Ahkmenrah's care. He had sworn by Rah to keep an eye on the boy, but even without that the night guard doubted the pharaoh would let anything happen to his son.

The Huns were getting a little rambunctious, but they were not actually fighting with anyone, so Larry let it slide for the moment, electing instead to ask the President what he thought about the idea of a movie night.

He had forgotten Teddy had no idea what movies were. "Moving pictures?" He tried. "They tell a story. It's entertainment."

"Well, I certainly think a bit of structure could not go awry," the President replied, "and your pizza has certainly been well received. I cannot myself speak for or against a 'movie night,' but I think you have a good idea there-trying to come up with activities to keep the exhibits occupied."

* * *

Larry had reason to regret his decision not to settle the Huns down five minutes later, when purely by chance, he looked up to see Ahkmenrah's expression shift from relaxed and somewhat amused to fierce and threatening in less than a second.

The Egyptian shouted something in his native tongue and dove forward roughly shoving Nicky with enough force to knock the boy over-Nicky went down with a cry of surprise.

Larry bolted, dodging around and between startled exhibits, his son's name on his lips while his mind raced, demanding to know what had happened, why Ahkmenrah had just knocked down his son, and most importantly, whether or not Nicky was hurt.

He reached the two in time to catch sight of Nicky, now back on his feet and white-faced, staring in horror at Ahkmenrah, also pale-and muttering in Egyptian. The pharaoh was currently pinned to the wall by a Mongolian spear that had gone clean through his shoulder; a very upset Hun leaned over him.

A brief glimpse was all he got before the scene suddenly became much worse. Ahkmenrah's eyes widened suddenly, and he let out a sharp "Wait!" that did not come in time to stop the Hun from pulling the spear loose.

Larry was appalled by the amount of blood suddenly pouring from the Egyptian's shoulder. The other exhibits stood frozen, shock written on every face. Nicky let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Ahkmenrah slumped to the floor, his hand jammed against the wound. "Get the child out of here." He barked, and someone, Larry did not see who, shuffled to obey. "Guardian, I need something to slow the bleeding." The pharaoh ground out, his voice strained, but still controlled. When Larry remained where he was, Ahkmenrah added, his eyes closing briefly. "Your son is unharmed. It was an accident, and fortunately I was able to protect him. Please."

Larry's brain and body started working again. He had his jacket off and was pressing it against the Egyptian's wounded shoulder in a flash.

Ahkmenrah hissed in pain. "Thank you," he somehow managed.

"No problem." Larry replied. "What do I need to do?

"Slow the bleeding." Ahkmenrah repeated. "The tablet will heal the wound, it will be fine tomorrow night."

"Do we need to clean it?" Ahkmenrah shook his head. "What about stitches?" No. "Bandage it?"

"That might help." The Egyptian conceded.

"Somebody get the first aid kit." Larry snapped. Ahkmenrah looked at him.

"I will be fine, Larry Daley." Injured and in pain, his blood pooling on the floor around him, the pharaoh was trying to reassure Larry, though he could not quite hide the sudden weariness that crept into his voice.

"You said the tablet will heal you." Larry replied. "What do I need to know? What should I expect?"

Ahkmenrah's eyes closed again, for a moment, then opened. His response, when it came, was slow and somewhat lethargic. "When the tablet brings me to life tomorrow, my shoulder will be healed." He explained. "I will be tired, but otherwise fine."

"So sleep would probably be a good thing?" Larry guessed. Receiving a terse nod, he continued, "Anything else?"

"I do not believe so." Ahkmenrah said.

"What about tonight?" Larry asked, aware that the Egyptian was having trouble focusing. A thought struck him hard, causing his heart to sink into his stomach. "Can you-Can you die?"

Ahkmenrah offered the night guard a tight smile that worried him more than anything else had so far. "I am already dead, guardian. The tablet restores me to life every night. I will be fine."

The first aid kit arrived, and with it Sacagawea. Setting the box down nearby, she knelt beside Larry and the wounded pharaoh. "Find something to clean the wound." She told the night guard, peeling back the now blood-soaked jacket to examine the injury.

"Ahkmenrah says we don't need to worry about anything other than the bleeding." Larry told her, opening the kit anyway.

"Because the tablet will heal it?" The Shoshone demanded, her words sharp. "He will still have to make it through the night. We can at least make him more comfortable."

Ahkmenrah stirred. "It is not necessary-"

"There's no reason for you to suffer." Sacagawea told him firmly. "No arguments."

The Egyptian chose not to argue, allowing the woman to first clean then bandage his shoulder, though by the time she was finished Ahkmenrah was looking rather gray and Larry was not sure he was capable of getting himself off the floor, let alone arguing with anyone.

Larry moved forward, slowly and carefully helping Ahkmenrah to his feet. The pharaoh swayed, and the night guard moved in closer, taking most of his weight- the Egyptian weighed more than Larry would have expected. He was surprised when Ahkmenrah leaned into the contact rather than away from it.

"Let's get you cleaned up." The night guard said, leading the way to the bathroom located next to his office, "and then we'll get you settled so you can rest."

Ahkmenrah nodded. Sacagawea had given the pharaoh something for the pain, and it seemed to have thrown him for a loop. He was only on his feet now because Larry was holding him up.

* * *

Not exactly sure why there was a shower in the bathroom next to his office but nonetheless grateful, went through the somewhat awkward task of getting the pharaoh cleaned up.

There was nothing to be done for Ahkmenrah's blood-stained clothing, and so the night guard found himself resorting to grabbing one of the worn blankets off his office couch and wrapping it around the half-conscious Egyptian. He settled Ahkmenrah on the couch, remembering to pull it out into a bed first so Nicky would not disturb him when he came to bed.

Nicky. The kid was probably devastated. Larry could not forget the look of horror on the boy's face as he stared at the injured pharaoh. He hoped whoever had taken charge of his son had been able to reassure him and get him calmed down. The night guard felt guilty for letting someone else take Nicky when the boy had been so upset, but taking care of the Ahkmenrah had been the priority when the night guard had had no idea whether or not the Egyptian's injury would-or could-kill him.

Larry watched Ahkmenrah sleep, relieved to see that he seemed to be breathing without difficulty. Reaching down to check for a pulse, he was further relieved to find it was steady, if a bit weaker than was normal-at least, for humans that were not magically brought to life at night by ancient Egyptian tablets.

Checking his watch, he realized it was nearly midnight. He needed to find Nicky and at least try to get him settled for bed. He also needed to get someone to watch Ahkmenrah while he looked for his son; Larry did not feel comfortable leaving the Egyptian alone just yet.

A soft knock sounded at the door a second before it opened, revealing none other than Sacagawea, Nicky in tow. "How is he?" The Shoshone asked, her voice low.

"Sleeping, right now. Whatever you gave him for the pain, he's out of it." Larry turned to his son. "You okay, Nicky?"

Face crumpling, the boy launched himself at his father, burying his face in Larry's waist. The sound of muffled sobs reached the night guard's ears.

"I told him that Ahkmenrah would survive, that the tablet would heal him." Sacagawea told Larry. "I explained that he would probably be tired tomorrow, but that his shoulder would be fine. He seems to think that it is his fault Ahkmenrah was injured."

Larry's mind flashed back to earlier the suddenly fierce expression on the Egyptian's face, Ahkmenrah shoving Nicky backwards.

"He pushed Nicky out of the way." Larry swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "He saved Nicky's life."

At that, the boy looked up at his father, his eyes red, his face streaked with tears. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"It's not your fault." Larry told his son.

"He pushed me out of the way. He got hurt because of me." Nicky insisted, his breath quickening.

"It was an accident." Larry said firmly. "It's nobody's fault." That did not mean that Larry was not going to have a long talk with members of a certain exhibit about spear-throwing later.

"But Ahkmenrah got hurt." Nicky gasped.

"He was protecting you." Larry said, rubbing his son's back in an attempt to calm him down before he hyperventilated. "He knew that he would be okay tomorrow. You wouldn't have been."

It took fifteen more minutes to calm the distraught child down, and by then Larry had given up what little hope he had still held out for a normal bedtime routine. Instead he resigned himself to guiding the now nearly comatose boy over to his side of the bed, untying his sneakers and dropping them unceremoniously on the floor before covering his son with the other blanket.

The Egyptian stirred and opened his eyes, blearily focusing them on Nicky. "Safe," he breathed, before his eyes closed once more.

The boy was to exhausted to fight anymore. He was asleep in seconds. Larry tucked him in, wishing his son had not decided he was too old now for such things, at least while he was awake, and kissed the top of his head. "Good night."

He straightened to find Sacagawea watching the EGyptian sleep just as he had done earlier. "Thanks," he said, his voice soft, "for earlier. I don't know what I would have done. And for Nicky." He added.

The Shoshone woman smiled. "You would have managed." She told him. "All the same, I am pleased to have been able to help." After a moment, she added, "The museum has been quiet since the accident. The-mess has been cleaned up. Teddy is keeping an eye on everything. I can stay here, with Ahkmenrah, tonight, just in case."

"Thank you," Larry said again.

* * *

"Ahkmenrah is going to be okay." Larry assured the worried exhibits that had nearly mobbed him as he entered the fron hall. "The tablet will heal him. Tomorrow he'll be as good as new, just a little tired, so maybe give him some space."

"Now I know what happened tonight was an accident, and I know that those responsible feel awful about it. All the same, we need to do our best to make sure that this-or something worse-doesn't happen again. We said no violence, but I think we need to add that getting too rough, even if you're just having fun, can get someone hurt.

"I'm not like you guys. Nicky's not like you guys. We're vulnerable. We can get hurt. So can Ahkmenrah. He may be an exhibit, just like you, but he can still get hurt, so you guys need to be a little more careful around him and Nick, all right?"

Grunts of affirmation sounded all around the room. "Okay, then." Larry said, satisfied for the moment that he had gotten his point across.

The museum was subdued for the rest of the night, much to the night guard's relief. He knew that everyone would be in better spirits once they saw for themselves that the Egyptian was okay, and he also knew it would not be a terrible thing to think about what had-and could have-happened tonight.

* * *

Larry returned to his office an hour before dawn to help Ahkmenrah back to his exhibit. Thanking Sacagawea one last time, he reluctantly woke the sleeping pharaoh.

He ended up all but carrying Ahkmenrah, draping the Egyptian's good arm across his back and supporting almost all of his weight. Ahkmenrah was quiet as they made their way through the halls, his eyes half-closed, not really awake. He did not take interest in his changing surroundings until they approached his sarcophagus.

A shiver ran through the pharaoh's lean frame, and a soft whimper escaped his lips.

"Ahkmenrah?" Larry looked the Egyptian over in alarm. Ahkmenrah's eyes were wide open now, and locked onto the empty sarcophagus.

"I hate it." Ahkmenrah said, a tremor in his voice. "I never know whether I will be allowed out again, or whether I will simply be left to suffer throughout eternity. I wake up and wonder if the previous night were a dream, or simply some hallucination brought on by madness."

Whatever drugs Sacagawea had given Ahkmenrah still had a strong hold on him, causing him to share what he otherwise would not-could not-have, and the admission was breaking Larry's heart.

He did not know how to fix this. He did not even know if it could be fixed.

"I'm sorry," he said. The last thing he wanted to do tonight was force the injured pharoh back into his own sarcophagus. "I'm not a dream, and I will let you out, tomorrow night, and every night after, as long as I'm here."

Ahkmenrah turned to meet his gaze, his too large eyes suddenly earnest. "You gave me your word."

"I did." Larry agreed. "And I stand by it." Inspiration struck. "Your blanket." He said. "It's real. Not a dream. Not a hallucination. It's real. This is real."

Uncertainly, Ahkmenrah nodded, looking down at the blanket still draped around his body. Without another word he allowed the night guard to help him into the sarcophagus. Only when Larry went to replace the lid did he speak again.

"Thank you, Larry Daley," he murmured, sounding impossibly young to the night guard's ears, "for everything."

It only made Larry feel worse as he slid first the lid, then the stone slab into place over the sarcophagus.

* * *

 **MiyamotoUsagiFan: I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I really enjoyed writing it. Also, thanks for being so generous with your thoughts, and I hope to come up with some satisfying fiction.**

 **Jane Bond: I will see what I can do. Let me think on it a bit...**

 **Tundra: Mmm...pizza. How could even ancient Egyptian royalty fail to appreciate such a thing?**

 **TeddyXSac Fluff: Trying to explain Monopoly to a bunch of Huns. Maybe Ahk could translate, although it's possible he might only complicate the issue.**

 **Silverdragonstar: Thanks. I tried to make the last chapter a little more subtle, I think it turned out pretty well.**

 **KarToon12: I agree. I'm not normally an advocate for violence, but I think a punch in the nose would not be undeserved. And no, I did not feel as if you were forcing me to do anything-I appreciate the feedback, as well as the ideas. ;)**

 **Time Traverser: I would agree with your analysis of his 'temper tantrums,' though when he gets angry (as you will see in a few chapters), he can be scary.**

 **Thanks to everyone for sticking with me, and for the reviews!**


	10. Ninth Night: Cold

Ahkmenrah was still too pale for the night guard's liking, but had managed to maneuver the lid off his sarcophagus-carefully-and lowered it to the floor without difficulty.

"Good evening, guardian." Larry was relieved when the Egyptian paused to make sure the blanket that had been shut in with him the night before was properly covering him before he climbed out of his sarcophagus. He was also pleased to note that Ahmenrah's shoulder was completely healed, and that he was neither in pain, nor suffering any after-effects from the pain medication Sacagawea had given him.

He did, somehow, still manage to look every bit as impressive as ever, in spite of the fact that he was clothed in nothing more than the blanket knotted securely around his waist.

Larry needed to find the Egyptian some clothes; he doubted Ahkmenrah had much interest in wearing only a blanket for very much longer.

"How are you feeling?" Larry asked. "You look a lot better than you did this morning."

"I feel considerably better, thank you," Ahkmenrah replied, "though if it is not too much of an inconvenience, I may avail myself of your-couch later on; I am still a bit weary."

"Right," Larry said. "That's fine. I'm glad you're okay."

The Egyptian's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I did say that the tablet would heal me." He reminded the night guard, who shrugged.

"So I worried anyway. I couldn't help it. You lost a lot of blood, and then whatever Sacagawea gave you for the pain-you were a little out of it."

Ahkmenrah shifted uncomfortably. "I seem to remember saying several things I rather wish had been left unsaid." He confessed, his voice low.

"I don't." Larry said. "Maybe you regret it, but I'm glad you told me." They were both quiet for a moment before Larry shook his head and pulled himself together. "Come on, everybody's waiting to make sure you're still alive. I wasn't the only one worried."

As Larry had suggested, most of the exhibits kept their distance, giving the Egyptian some space, though this did not stop them from following his every move with their eyes.

Some exhibits did approach. Attila, as well as the unfortunate Hun who had thrown the spear-and ripped it out of Ahmenrah's shoulder-were some of the first to confront the recovered pharaoh, Attila speaking Mongolian rather rapidly while his companion looked more and more uncomfortable by the minute until Ahkmenrah finally stepped forward and laid a hand on the upset Hun's shoulder. A short conversation later Attila seemed satisfied, his companion comforted, and Ahkmenrah moved on.

Larry was surprised and more than a little alarmed when the cavemen swarmed, grunting and prodding the Egyptian's newly healed shoulder. His concern must have been obvious, because Ahkmenrah looked up and quickly reassured him. "It is quite all right, Larry. It does not hurt."

Ahkmenrah was tired by the time they reached the ground floor, his color closer to what it had been the night before, and Larry steered the pharaoh toward his office.

"You look like you could use some rest." Larry noted. Ahkmenrah nodded in reply.

"It would be most appreciated." He admitted, weariness creeping into his voice. "Also-" the pharaoh hesitated.

"What is it?" Larry asked. "I did ask you to let me know if you needed anything." Larry reminded the Egyptian gently.

Reassured, Ahkmenrah forged on. "Would it be possible to get another blanket?" He asked, shifting his weight uncomfortably from one bare foot to the other as he spoke.

Larry looked the pharaoh over, wondering how he could have missed the slight tremble that seemed to afflict him from head to toe. "You're freezing." It was not a question. Shrugging out of his jacket, he unceremoniously dropped it on Ahkmenrah's shoulders.

The Egyptian huddled into the jacket's warmth. "It is usually not a problem, though it is considerably cooler here than it was back home. It is more noticeable when I am tired." He stopped when Larry zipped up the jacket, staring in a mixture of surprise and interest.

"Thank you," he finally remembered to say.

"No problem," Larry replied, starting back toward his office. Ahkmenrah followed.

They were intercepted by Sacagawea. "Nicky called on the telephone device." She informed them. "He wanted to know how Ahkmenrah was." Her gaze shifted to the man in question. "I am pleased to see that your shoulder has healed." She added.

Ahkmenrah bent forward slightly, forgoing his usual full bow. "Thank you for your assistance last night." He told her. "I am most grateful."

Sacagawea smiled at him. "You are quite welcome," she replied, "though you look as if you should be resting rather than wandering the museum." She added, casting a critical glance in Larry's direction.

"We're headed for my office." Larry assured the Shoshone. "He can rest there, and I can call Nicky."

Appeased, Sacagawea nodded and excused herself. Larry and Ahkmenrah continued toward the night guard's office. Once there, Ahkmenrah settled gratefully on the couch, and Larry found him the extra blanket. The Egyptian accepted it with a murmur of thanks, not bothering to shed Larry's jacket before bundling himself up in it.

The pharaoh was already beginning to doze off when Larry got Nicky on the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Nicky. Everything okay?"

"Huh? Fine, I was just calling to see how Ahkmenrah was." Larry smiled and looked over at the Egyptian.

"He's fine." The night guard assured his son. "A little tired. Shoulder's good as new."

There was a pause on the other end. "Can I talk to him?" There was a slight tremor in Nicky's voice this time as he spoke.

Larry considered the pharaoh currently half-asleep on the couch. "I'll see if he's up for it, okay?" Lowering the phone to his chest, he called to the Egyptian, "Ahkmenrah?

Ahmnerah's eyes were open and on him instantly. "Yes, guardian?" He asked.

"Nicky's on the phone. He wants to talk to you-I think he's still worried about last night."

The Egyptian's brows furrowed, but he rose from the couch and came to stand beside Larry, still wrapped in the night guard's jacket and both blankets. When Larry offered him the phone he hesitantly accepted it, then held it awkwardly up to his ear.

"Nicky?" The pharaoh sounded completely bewildered, and Larry wanted to slap himself. Of course Ahkmenrah had no idea what a telephone was or how it worked. The night guard was surprised, and impressed, really, that the Egyptian had managed to get this much right.

He also wondered where Sacagawea had learned about telephones and how they worked.

Ahkmenrah suddenly looked even more confused, though this time when he spoke his voice was even. "I am fine, Nicky. My shoulder is completely healed." A pause. "I am still a bit weary, but that is to be expected." Ahkmenrah paused again, listening. His eyes closed briefly before opening again.

"What happened was _not_ your fault, Nicholas." The pharaoh said firmly. "You are not to blame yourself. I swore to your father that I would protect you, and should a similar situation arise in the future, I will not hesitate to act in the same manner. I would rather spend a night wounded than see you grievously harmed-or killed." Another pause. "I promise, Nicky, the wound is fully healed."

Ahkmenrah must have convinced the boy, because he relaxed and fell silent again, listening, Larry assumed, with interest to something Nicky was telling him on the other end of the line. Larry also relaxed, and with a wave left the Egyptian alone in the office.

He was asleep later when Larry stopped by to check on him. In fact, Ahkmenrah slept through the remainder of the night, though he did rouse himself in time to get up and return to his sarcophagus before dawn, looking much healthier-and less worn-than he had earlier, much to Larry's relief. The night guard accompanied the pharaoh back to his exhibit anyway.

"I never said thank you." Larry said. "You saved my son's life."

"I swore to protect him. The Egyptian reminded Larry gently, as if he could have done nothing less-as if shoving Larry's son out of harm's way and being injured himself in the process were nothing. Larry shook his head.

"I mean it, Ahkmenrah. I never would have forgiven myself if something had happened to him."

Ahkmenrah turned to face the night guard, his expression serious. "Nor would I. You and your son released me from my prison Larry, and for that alone I owe you both a debt I can never hope to repay. I could no sooner stand by and allow harm to come to your son than I could allow harm to come to you."

His expression softened, and he added, "He is a fine young man, your Nicky. I would do it all again without a moment's hesitation."

It was far more reassuring that Larry had expected to realize that his son's fondness for the Egyptian was not one-sided; Ahkmenrah had taken a liking to Nicky as well.

* * *

 **LionQueen: Oh, Ahk got his pizza. They would not leave him out. Thanks for reviewing.**

 **Silvara: I'm glad you like it so far!**

 **Time Traverser: I do already have something written out that covers the issue of Ahk's age! I hope you like it. It should be coming up in a few chapters.**

 **KarToon12: Ahk in the daytime...maybe. Haven't come up with anything for it yet, but we'll see.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: I seem to be beating up on poor Ahk quite a bit. He needs some lighter chapters, doesn't he? I'm also glad to hear that Larry and Ahk's interactions are being well received.**

 **As ever, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. It keeps me encouraged and ready to write more!**


	11. Tenth Night: Bastet

Larry honestly had no idea what he had been thinking. It had been one of those ridiculous, spur of the moment, not at all well thought out acts of kindness-exactly the sort of impulsive act that usually got him into trouble-and now he was stuck.

Completely soaked and thoroughly chilled, Larry would have liked nothing more than a hot shower, a change of clothes, and a long nap. Honestly, he would have settled for just a change of clothes. Currently engaged in a race against the rapidly fading daylight to reach the museum-and Ahkmenrah's exhibit-before the setting sun, he knew he was not about to get any of that any time soon.

Clutching his burden closer to his chest and ignoring the weird looks he was getting from people as he raced by, Larry told himself that if he could only make it before the sun set, he could deal with everything else.

Larry was _not_ going to let Ahkmenrah suffer just because he had terrible impulse control and made stupid decisions. He was not going to let the pharaoh wake up trapped again. _One_ time was too many, and the Egyptian had woken up that way more times than the night guard cared to think about.

He flung himself through the museum doors and barreled his way up the stairs and past the other exhibits, cursing. He was not going to make it. The museum was already coming to life.

He slid to a halt in water-logged shoes, staring. There, in the middle of the ancient Egypt exhibit Ahkmenrah stood, beside his sarcophagus clearly _not_ trapped, talking to Teddy Roosevelt, both men completely oblivious to Larry's plight.

"Oh," he said, and both turned to look at him. "You're-you're already out. Great."

"I came to make sure Ahkmenrah had been released when I realized the other exhibits had not been taken care of, just as we discussed, Lawrence." The President explained, reminding Larry of the plan he, Ahkmenrah, and Teddy had come up with to let the Egyptian out of his sarcophagus in case something happened to delay the night guard in the future.

"Right." Larry agreed, bending over and trying to catch his breath. Momentarily distracted by his relief that the pharaoh had not been trapped and busy with the realization that he was far more out of shape than he had originally thought, Larry forgot about the bundle he had been clutching.

It slid to the floor and landed rather noisily. Teddy stared at the now moving bag, confusion evident on his features, but Ahkmenrah scowled and immediately dove for it.

"What is this?" He demanded, suddenly angry, though Larry had no idea why. Kneeling rapidly by Larry's discarded bundle, he opened the mouth of the bag and peered inside. He was standing again in less than a second, rounding on Larry, eyes flashing and his expression one of pure fury.

" _What in the name of Rah do you think you are doing?_ " The Egyptian hissed, and for the first time since the night he had first let Ahkmenrah out of his sarcophagus, Larry was truly afraid of the pharaoh who now stood before the night guard, murder in his eyes, waiting for some sort of response.

Larry looked at the sack on the floor then back to the seething Egyptian, trying to get his brain-or his mouth-to work, and came up with nothing.

" _This-this-guardian or not, indebted or no, I should kill you for this-this-_ " Ahkmenrah was fairly shaking with rage. _"Get out of my sight."_ He snarled, and Larry took a step back.

"Ahkmenrah, what-?" He was cut off.

" _I am Ahkmenrah, Fourth King of the Fourth King, Ruler of the land of my fathers, and you will address me with the proper respect!"_ Ahkmenrah bellowed, drawing himself up fully. _"Get out! Leave before I kill you myself!"_

Swallowing rapidly and taking another step toward the exhibit's entrance, the night guard looked toward Teddy for help. The President stood frozen, watching the scene play out before him in horror and utter confusion. Larry would receive no help there-he was on his own.

The night guard had no idea what had set the pharaoh off, but he needed to figure it out-and fast. Backing toward the door, he spread his hands in a gesture of surrender that he hoped the Egyptian understood. "Pharaoh?" He tried, without much hope for success. "I don't understand. If I have offended you, it was an accident. Can we talk about this? Please?"

Ahkmenrah's eyes narrowed. His demeanor offered no chance at forgiveness. "Out," he said harshly, "I will not repeat myself again."

Grabbing the still shaken President, Larry retreated, deciding it was probably best to simply let Ahkmenrah calm down before trying to talk to him again.

The pharaoh had mentioned he had a temper, the night guard remembered. Apparently he had been serious, though Larry still had no idea what had set him off like that.

Larry sighed. "What was that all about?" He asked, not really expecting an answer.

Pulling himself together, finally, Teddy shook his head. "I admit I did not see that coming. Forgive me, Lawrence. I fear I was of little use in there."

Larry shook his head. "I wasn't any better." He admitted. "Maybe he'll be more willing to talk to me after he's calmed down a bit." He said, a shiver running down his spine as his body remembered the wet clothes it was still wearing. "I'm going to take a hot shower and change into some dry clothes." He told the President. "Can you keep an eye on the museum while I'm doing that?"

Teddy nodded absently, his mind still on the furious pharaoh. "Of course, Lawrence." He agreed, too preoccupied to wonder exactly how the night guard had ended up dripping wet when it was not raining outside.

Twenty minutes and a change of clothes later, Larry felt infinitely better. Taking a deep breath, he decided it was time to try again to talk to Ahkmenrah.

The pharaoh's behavior was puzzling, to say the least. In the week or more that Larry had known him, Ahkmenrah had never displayed even a hint of temper-or any indication whatsoever of not being able to control any of his emotions. He had been upset plenty of times, injured, worried, confused, but never had he been so obviously out of control as the enraged Egyptian that had threatened to _kill_ him earlier.

It worried Larry, and not simply because it was he that Ahkmenrah was currently directing his anger at. Ahkmenrah's reaction had come out of the blue, without any sort of warning, and there had been no stopping or even fighting it. The pharaoh, usually so cautious and precise in both his words and his actions, careful even in what emotions he allowed others to see, had given in to his rage completely and without reservation.

And it seemed to have come without any provocation. Larry desperately hoped he had missed something, that somehow he had unintentionally done something to invoke such a reaction in the pharaoh, but truthfully, he could think of nothing.

He had reached Ahkmenrah's exhibit. Hoping for the best, wondering if this were about to be the last thing he ever did, he took a deep breath and slowly made his way inside, stopping just on the other side of the doorway.

Ahkmenrah sat on the floor, his lap full of kittens, addressing the tiny creatures solemnly in his native language, his voice soft, and gentle, and reverent as he spoke, all trace of his earlier fury vanished.

Larry frowned.

Ahkmenrah looked up. His features closed, and his gaze, as he met the night guard's, was steel. "I thought I told you to leave." His voice, when he addressed Larry, was completely devoid of any warmth. "I spared your life because I of the debt I owed you. Do not give me cause to regret it."

"Right," Larry said, bracing himself for a conversation he was not sure he was not going to regret later, "about that, Pharaoh. Can I ask you a question, and then I'll get out of your face and you'll never have to see me again, if that's what you want?"

Ahkmenrah regarded him coldly. "What is it?" He demanded.

Larry let out a deep breath. "I know I've done _something_ to upset you, that much is obvious, but I have no idea what, so would you mind telling me how exactly I've offended you?"

Ahkmenrah's eyebrows shot up; startled into complete, unguarded honesty, he stared at the night guard. "Surely you jest."

Larry shook his head. "I have no idea why you're so angry, Ah-Pharaoh. I swear it, by whatever it takes to convince you, that whatever I've done, it was completely unintentional."

Ahkmenrah's gaze drifted to the tiny balls of fur in his lap. "I fail to see how such an action could be, as you say, completely unintentional." He countered darkly.

For a moment Larry wanted to scream in his frustration. A second later a light switched on, and he took a second look at the pharaoh. "Wait, is this-is this about the kittens?"

Ahkmenrah's leveled a glare at Larry that threatened to peel the skin from his bones. "How dare you-"

But Larry was already trying not to laugh. "You're angry about the kittens?" He was giddy, he knew it, and very close to being murdered by an Egyptian pharaoh after all, but the situation was just so absurd. "Ahkmenrah, I wasn't trying to hurt them. I rescued them. Somebody threw them in the river, and I went after them. Jeez, Ahkmenrah, I would never try to _drown_ a litter of kittens."

The Egyptian watched him for a moment, his eyes calculating. "You saved them?" He finally asked, his voice less hostile than it had been since this whole mess began. Larry nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "that's why I was late."

"Ah," Ahkmenrah looked down, "I see." The Egyptian stared at his lap in silence for several minutes. Satisfied, for the moment, that Ahkmenrah had at least heard him, Larry waited.

Finally the pharaoh stirred, straightening his shoulders and pulling his head back to meet Larry's gaze. "Forgive, me, Larry Daley. I have misjudged you."

Larry felt his eyebrows lift. "Um, that's okay?" He said. "Care to explain? I've never seen you lose it like this, Ahkmenrah."

The Egyptian's shoulders hunched, though he did not look away, and Larry realized he was embarrassed. "You dropped them. I thought-I obviously was mistaken."

"You thought I was going to hurt the kittens?" Larry asked, a smile threatening to emerge. "And it made you _that_ angry?"

Ahkmenrah stiffened. "Cats are sacred." He explained. "Bastet was the goddess of cats, pleasure, fertility, family, and motherhood. She was represented as a woman with the head of a cat, or sometimes simply as a cat, and possessed the all-seeing eye of Rah. Any crimes committed against cats were severely punished. They were holy animals, often mummified after death-their owners, after death, were usually mummified and buried with them.

"So, big deal." Larry surmised. Ahkmenrah nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, not that I would ever do anything awful to a cat." They sat there quietly, again, for a few more minutes.

"I am sorry." Ahkmenrah apologized again, rousing himself. "I should have known better, guardian. You have been nothing but kind and generous in all the time that I have known you. To accuse you of such-such depravity…" the Egyptian trailed off.

Larry looked down at the kittens curled up peacefully in the other man's lap. "It's all right, really. I mean, you thought that something you were raised to think of as sacred was being threatened." He said. "Don't worry about it. Although…"

"Guardian?"

"I have no idea what to do with them." Larry admitted, gesturing toward the kittens. "I can't keep them. I can't take care of them. I'll have to take them to a shelter, I guess."

Ahkmenrah was watching him carefully now. "A shelter?" He asked, his voice tight.

"A shelter is a place for animals that you can't take care of, or in this case, that you rescued from drowning in a pool of water. They get fed and cared for until someone else decides to adopt them and take them home with them." Sometimes explaining things to the museum exhibits was more than a little bit like explaining things to a five year old. "Kittens are small and cute. They'll have a really good chance at getting adopted fairly quickly."

Ahkmenrah still looked skeptical. "And they will be treated properly, as befits their rank?" He wanted to know.

"Uh, they'll probably end up going home with children who love them." Larry managed.

That seemed to appease the pharaoh, much to Larry's relief. He _really_ did not want to get into a discussion about what animal shelters could be like with Ahkmenrah.

"So…" said the night guard, changing the subject, "you weren't kidding when you said you had a temper. I wasn't actually convinced until today."

Ahkmenrah looked down again briefly, embarrassed, before meeting the night guard's eyes once again. "I have tried to keep a better rein on my emotions; however, sometimes they still get away from me. Anger still seems to be the most difficult for me to control, for some reason."

"This is the first time I've seen you angry, though, isn't it?" Larry asked. Ahkmenrah shook his head.

"I was angry when you asked about being locked in my sarcophagus, do you remember?" He reminded the night guard. Larry remembered the ice in the pharaoh's voice as well as the horror he himself had felt upon hearing what Ahkmenrah had had to say.

"You seemed in control then." He observed. Ahkmenrah did not respond. "I'm not sure that one outburst-especially over the mistreatment of something you were raised to think of as sacred-indicates an anger management problem, though, I gotta tell you, Ahkmenrah, I'm pretty sure I never want to get on your bad side again."

Ahkmerah rolled his eyes at Larry, and the night guard was _certain_ he knew exactly which nine-year-old-son-of-his the Egyptian had learned that particular gesture from. "All you would have to do is wait for sunrise, and I would be at your mercy." He said darkly.

Larry shook his head, marveling at how easy it was for just about anything to turn dark when the Egyptian was involved, and not at all happy with the revelation. "I wouldn't do that, Ahkmenrah." He said quietly.

After a moment, the pharaoh replied, equally softly, "I know."

* * *

 **Here we go. Something a little lighter and a little less traumatizing, with the added bonus of the mental image of Ahk sitting on the floor with a pile of kittens in his lap. Your welcome. ;)**

 **SummerMistedDragon: Thanks.**

 **KarToon12: My personal theory is that Sacagawea keeps an eye on pretty much everything that goes on in the museum, and learns a lot that way. As far as Jed and Octavius, they seem to like learning about modern life.**

 **LionQueen: There have been a few brotherly moments, haven't there? Goodness knows Ahk needs it-I get the feeling Kahmunrah was a terrible big brother.**

 **Guest: You know who you are. Thanks. I wanted to take my time with this, and try to gradually build the relationships between Ahk and the others. I think, though, that even though Ahk is not interested in taking over the museum, he still would feel some degree of responsibility for them, especially since it is his tablet that brings them to life. I think he would do whatever he could to protect anyone in the museum. :)**

 **Time Traverser: Glad I continue to please. Thanks for the continued reviews.**


	12. Eleventh Night: Talk

Ahkmenrah once again slid the lid off his sarcophagus and gently laid it to the side. He had not thrown the lid clear since being accidentally trapped after Larry had fallen down the stairs and been knocked unconcious in the process. The night guard hoped that it was because the Egyptian was growing more comfortable with him and the others and was beginning to understand that they were not going to lock him back inside, but he had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that it was entirely possible that he was simply obeying Larry's request because at some point he had learned that not to do so meant getting locked back up-it was also possible that even if the pharaoh _were_ getting used to them, the latter was still there in the back of his mind, making him extra mindful. Larry hated to think that Ahkmenrah's actions might still be colored by past interactions, but he would have been a fool to deny the possibility.

Ahkmenrah sat up and coughed, and this time Larry did not ignore it. "You okay?" He asked. When the Egyptian turned to look at him instead of answering, the night guard shrugged. "You come out coughing every night." He explained.

For a moment he thought the pharaoh would ignore him, but then Ahkmenrah actually answered. "Sand. I wake up with sand in my mouth and throat." He offered, climbing out of the sarcophagus. "Not a significant amount, but nonetheless uncomfortable. And it is, as I have said before, rather stuffy in there. I can breathe, but not as freely as I should like." He paused, then added softly. "The first time I awoke with a lungful of sand. I thought I was dying all over again."

Larry considered this, but as tended to happen with so many of the pharaoh's confessions, he found himself at a loss for something to say in response, and as much as he appreciated the fact that Ahkmenrah had offered this information freely, he was not sure why the Egyptian had chose to do so.

"I am not accustomed to volunteering personal information." Ahkmenrah said abruptly. "It has been a long time since I have found myself in a position where it was not foolish, or even dangerous, to admit to having any sort of weakness-or to simply being human." He offered the listening night guard a crooked smile. "To be pharaoh was to be seen as being above humanity, to be equal with the gods. To admit weakness was to open oneself up for attack-If I can bleed, then I can be killed. _After_ my death-well, let us simply say that my…needs were considered irrelevant."

"Because of the tablet?" Larry found himself asking, still trying to understand why Ahkmenrah was sharing all this. "Did they think because the tablet kept you alive that you didn't need to sleep, or eat?" It was a mistake he himself had made, or rather, it had simply not occurred to him that unlike the other exhibits, Ahkmenrah became flesh and blood each night and consequently would have the same needs as any flesh and blood human.

"Partly," Ahkmenrah conceded, "they also tended to discount them. I lost count of the number of times I was told that I was dead, and that the dead do not have rights. It was, I believe, their justification for most of their treatment of me."

"You're talking about Cambridge." Larry said, trying to contain his horror.

"In their defense, I suppose they honestly believed that I was simply some sort of reanimated corpse, moving and breathing, perhaps, but nonetheless not an actual, living man." Ahkmenrah did not sound as if the thought gave him any comfort-or made him hate his tormentors any less.

"When I came here I was left imprisoned, as you know. I was considered dangerous, and a threat, for fifty-four long years." Ahkmenrah said softly. "I thought I would be trapped forever. I truly had given up hope of ever escaping long before you came."

The Egyptian fell silent, and Larry waited a moment before asking, "Why are you telling me this? Not that I don't want to know, or that I don't appreciate the fact that you seem to be opening up, but why now? What's changed?"

Ahkmenrah sighed heavily. "Everything," he said. Trying to explain, he continued. "You, for one. No one at Cambridge ever actually cared about me beyond what I could do for them. Obviously, no one here let me out before you came. You freed me, and beyond that, you have treated me with compassion and patience, accepting me as a part of this museum without reservation, showing concern whenever you believed something was wrong, and even showing forgiveness when mistakes have been made."

"The rest of the museum has accepted me as well, and treated me in much the same manner. It has become obvious to me, then, that if the situation I have found myself in-if the people around me-have all changed, then the manner in which I comport myself must also change." Larry was not entirely sure he was following, but he at least got that Ahkmenrah believed that things had changed for the better. "You have asked that I be more forward with my own needs, and that is certainly a start.

"Perhaps," the pharaoh sounded uncertain now, and his breathing grew unsteady, though he did not look away, and with a start the night guard realized that rather than retreat into his usual formal bearing and way of speaking, tonight Ahkmenrah had remained almost painfully open with him, "it is possible that I no longer need to maintain such a distance between myself and you-or the rest of the museum's inhabitants. I see no threat that could arise from it, and to be honest, the life of a pharaoh-or of any king or ruler, I suspect-is a rather lonely one."

Finished speaking, Ahkmenrah let out a deep breath, and Larry wondered exactly how hard this conversation had been for the Egyptian. He also wondered how much the pharaoh was still actively keeping hidden, and how much was simply the almost instinctive result of a lifetime of training.

"So, you're going to try to open up? Maybe relax a bit more?" Larry asked, wishing he could relieve some of the tension in the room. "I'm glad. You know you're just as much a part of this place as anyone else, and you've got just as much right to be yourself-and be happy-as anyone else." He was going to start babbling, he knew, and so he shut up.

The Egyptian offered him an uncertain smile. "I am happy here, I think." He admitted. "Or at least, I think I could be." Two very different things, Larry thought, but did not say so. "I am going to try to, what was it you said? Open up?" Larry nodded, and Ahkmenrah nodded. "I will try-but I ask your patience. It is certainly not something to happen overnight."

This time Larry knew what to say. "Whatever you're comfortable with, Ahkmenrah. You don't have to do any more than that. Just be yourself."

"Thank you, guardian-Larry." Ahkmenrah corrected himself. "I cannot honestly say that I have ever been granted the opportunity before. Even in the earliest years of my childhood I was always expected to behave in a certain way, first as the son of royalty, then as one who would someday be pharaoh himself."

Ahkmenrah had never really gotten the chance to be a child, Larry realized. Had he ever had the chance to be anything other than the person they had seen so far? How much of what they saw was actually Ahkmenrah, and how much was simply a lifetime of training to rule a country?

Larry also realized that now he might actually get the chance to learn more about the pharaoh. There had been surprisingly little for him to find when he tried to research the ancient pharaoh: the exhibit here at the museum was pretty much it as far as information was concerned.

Ahkmenrah, pharaoh of Egypt, son of Merenkahre and Shepseheret, brother of Kahmunrah. Dug up near the Nile River in 1938. On display in the Egyptology department at Cambridge University until 1952, when he came here.

From Ahkmenrah himself Larry had learned that he was the fourth king of the fourth king, though he was not sure exactly what that meant. He knew that the pharaoh came back from the dead each night, and while he did not _need_ sleep, or food, to survive, he still felt hunger, and pain, and cold. He also knew that Ahkmenrah did _not_ like being in his sarcophagus.

Overall he really knew very little about the Egyptian.

Larry wondered if it were too soon to start asking questions, given the amount of courage (and energy) it must have taken to not only start this conversation, but to see it through. He decided to go ahead, but to do so gently, and to make sure that Ahkmenrah knew that he did not have to answer if he did not feel up to it just yet.

"So…" Now that he had made up his mind, Larry was not sure what to ask. "How old are you, Ahkmenrah? If you don't mind me asking."

"I do not," Ahkmenrah replied easily, "though I assume you are asking how old I was when I died, rather than how long it has been since I was born."

"Yeah, that." Larry agreed.

"I was eighteen years old when I died." Ahkmenrah revealed. Larry stared at him.

"Eighteen?" He choked. Ahkmenrah was still practically just a kid. "You're only eighteen?" A thought occurred to him. "How old were you when you became pharaoh?"

"I was fifteen when my parents died." Ahkmenrah said softly. "I took my rightful place as pharaoh a week later, ruling my country for three years before I was murdered."

Larry blinked. "You were murdered?" He asked. He had known, of course, that Ahkmenrah was dead, though he had admittedly given it less thought than he probably should have. It had never occurred to him to wonder exactly _how_ the Egyptian had died, and it had certainly never occurred to him that Ahkmenrah might have died under less than natural circumstances.

"Drowned." Ahkmenrah answered in clipped tones. "My…brother was less than satisfied with our father's decision to name me as heir-as the older son he should have been next in line, not me. For three years after our parents died I managed not to be caught alone with him, and then one day I grew careless."

"And he drowned you." Larry was horrified-something he was beginning to experience a lot during his interactions with the pharaoh. Ahkmenrah, on the other hand, seemed mildly annoyed and perhaps a bit embarrassed to admit that he had allowed his murderous older brother to get the better of him, as if such a thing were simply a part of everyday life.

Ahkmenrah shrugged. "It would not have been so bad had he not insisted on gloating. There is nothing quite so obnoxious as having to endure one's older brother lecturing you on how _he_ should have been named pharaoh instead while one is busy coughing up lungfuls of water." Larry tried to keep his expression blank at this revelation, while the Egyptian added, muttering darkly, "He kept thinking of more to say, and so kept pulling me back up above the water. He could not even simply drown me quickly and get it over with."

Larry let out a deep breath. Here was simply another thing that he had no idea how to fix-or if he could-only this time the pharaoh did not seem to think there was a problem. Again, he had no idea what to say.

Ahkmenrah seemed to suddenly become aware of Larry's reaction, because he grimaced. "A bit too dark, I suppose." He apologized. "It was not my intention to worry you."

Larry shrugged. Sighing, he admitted, "It just seems like you've been through a lot a crap, and not just in the past fifty-four years, is all."

* * *

 **SummerMistedDragon: I really wanted Ahk to keep one of the kittens because it would have been absolutely adorable, but I couldn't figure out a way to make it happen that wasn't weird or depressing...**

 **LionQueen: I like to think that Ahkmenrah just about scared the pants off of Teddy too, not just Larry.**

 **Time Traverser: I'm glad angry/scary Ahk was convincing. I do think kittens have the potential to make a lot of things better...**

 **Thanks for reading, and for reviewing, guys!**


	13. Twelfth Night: Defender

It was sheer instinct that caused Sacagawea to duck into a side exhibit, moving first and only realizing afterward that the figure she had briefly glimpsed in the hallway was not only _not_ their night guard, but not anyone else that belonged in the museum. Dropping low, she edged up to the entrance and risked a glance at the stranger currently roaming their halls.

He was a large man, tall and strong. He was dressed in a uniform similar to the one Larry Daley normally wore. The Shoshone frowned, the sight triggering something in the back of her mind-something she could not quite identify. Instinct told her to avoid the man, however, and Sacagawea's instincts had always been good.

She retreated back further into the exhibit, listening. The museum was different tonight, quieter, though not in any way that could ever be good. Ducking into some nearby foliage, she waited as the stranger's footsteps came closer. The Shoshone held her breath as the steps paused outside the exhibit entrance, but after a moment they continued, fading gradually as the strange security guard made his way down the hall.

It was one of those times when Sacagawea wished she had not spent so many of her years at the museum trapped behind glass. She knew something was going on, had a nagging feeling that it was something that had happened before, but if it had, she had been left out of it.

Sacagawea left her hiding place. Slipping through the museum like a shadow, the Shoshone went looking for Teddy. He would know what was going on. He would know what to do.

Texas, Teddy's horse, was tied by his reins to his exhibit. Teddy himself was nowhere to be found. Perplexed, Sacagawea looked around the silent museum. None of the other exhibits were in view-in fact, the woman had not seen any one else that night. The other exhibits were either in hiding-or something worse.

Taking a deep breath, Sacagawea tried to figure out her next course of action. Teddy was missing. Larry-their night guard-was nowhere to be found. The museum was eerily silent.

A stranger was wandering around in the museum. A stranger who, Sacagawea was certain, was up to no good.

A weight landed on her shoulder, and the Shoshone nearly jumped out of her skin. It was only Dexter, the capuchin, but her heart would have been pounding in her ears if she had had one. Hoping he understood (and decided to listen), she placed a finger against her lips in a warning for him to be silent.

The capuchin launched itself off her shoulder, chattering loudly, and took off down the hall, making more noise than Sacagawea would have thought possible for such a small creature. A moment later she heard shouting, followed by the sound of someone, presumably the stranger, in hot pursuit.

The Shoshone frowned, then knelt. The capuchin had not been empty handed when he had landed on her shoulder, and he had not left with everything he had shown up with-he had come and gone with a set of keys clutched in one paw, but he had dropped the paper he had also been holding when he had left.

Sacagawea picked up the paper, brow furrowing as she read over its contents:

 _Throw the bone._

 _Lock up the lions or they will eat you._

 _Double-check your belt. The Monkey probably stole your keys._

 _Tie the Horses to the bench._

 _Go inside the Temple of Ahkmenrah and muffle the mummy. He scares the others._

Mouth suddenly dry, Sacagawea swallowed. _Ahkmenrah_. Larry was not here, she guessed, and Teddy did not seem to be either. Had anyone let the young ruler out?

She took off, running for all she was worth, and though the thought ran through her mind that it was unlikely that Ahkmenrah knew any more about what was going on than she did, she was not about to leave him trapped in his own coffin.

It seemed an eternity before she reached the Egyptian exhibit, though in reality it probably took very little time at all. She came to a halt in the entrance, a warning sounding inside her head. A second later she identified the cause: the exhibit was silent.

 _Go inside the Temple of Ahkmenrah and muffle the mummy._

Had the stranger done something to Ahkmenrah? The Shoshone was not above breaking Larry Daley's non-violence rule if someone had done something to hurt him. She approached the entrance, half-expecting the statues guarding it to intervene, but they remained still, eyes fixed on her.

She entered the room without opposition, and crossed the floor quickly to stand by the still closed and alarmingly silent sarcophagus.

How exactly did one 'muffle' a mummy? She was almost afraid to find out, but was not about to let such fear stop her from helping him.

Throwing all her strength into the effort, Sacagawea struggled to remove the stone slab from on top of Ahkmenrah's prison, nearly falling with it when the stone fell to the ground with a crash that echoed loudly within the exhibit. Holding her breath, Sacagawea straightened, listening in the silence for some sound to indicate that they had been heard and could be expecting trouble.

A moment later she turned her attention back to the coffin, wondering why the Egyptian had not already removed the lid himself. Her throat tight, she reached forward and pushed the lid clear, not entirely sure she would like what she saw inside.

Silent, subdued, and trembling all over, Ahkmenrah flinched back away from Sacagawea, bringing his hands halfway up in a halfhearted attempt to defend himself. His dark eyes, wide and frightened, cast about wildly before coming to focus on the Shoshone woman.

"Sa-" Ahkmenrah croaked, then started coughing. Sacagawea reached forward, placing her arm under his back and easing him into a sitting position. Sitting up seemed to have been a mistake, however, because suddenly the young pharaoh was curling in on himself and gasping, his body shaking even harder.

"Shh," the woman hushed him, bringing her other arm around him and stepping closer as he leaned forward, tears running down his face. "I've got you."

Nodding, the pharaoh buried his face into her shoulder. Surprised, but understanding that something terrible must have happened, Sacagawea simply held Ahkmenrah and let him cry himself out.

A second later he was pulling away, trying to scramble down from his sarcophagus, desperation in his eyes. Dropping to hands and knees, he began retching, heaving up nothing but air.

When had he last eaten? She knew he ate, that he got hungry. Why, then, was his stomach empty now? Sacagawea made herself focus. Kneeling beside Ahkmnerah, she placed a hand against his back, rubbing gently, trying to help him calm down.

They needed to hurry. They needed to move, and they needed to figure out what was happening. In order to do that, she needed to get the young man beside her calmed down, and then she needed to get him somewhere safe. If he could talk about whatever had happened to them it might help, but either way they probably needed to find Teddy-or Larry.

Where was the night guard?

Whispering the same sort of soothing nonsense into Ahkmenrah's ear that she remembered the real Sacagawea using to calm her baby, the Shoshone held the distraught and hurting pharaoh until at last he began to get his shaking under control.

"I-I-sor-sor-ry." Ahkmenrah whimpered, his voice raspy.

"Hush," Sacagawea told him gently, "You've done nothing wrong."

"I-I-I-" He stopped, and the broken look on his face threatened to tear the Shoshone woman's heart in two.

"Breathe," She advised him. "You have nothing to apologize for. It is whoever did-this to you who should be sorry."

"He-he-" Ahkmenrah stopped, trying to pull himself together. "It was not Larry Daley." Bless his heart, the words came out more a question than a statement, like a child trying desperately to hold on to what he had thought was the truth.

"It was not." Sacagawea said firmly, though she still kept her voice low. "Larry Daley would never do such a thing. There is a stranger here in the museum." The relief in the young man's eyes was obvious, and he seemed to gather himself just a little. "I know you are in pain, but it is not wise to stay here. Can you stand?"

Ahkmenrah nodded, though he ended up leaning on the Shoshone as she helped him rise unsteadily to his feet. He was still shaking, and moving seemed to cause him considerable pain, but Sacagawea could not right now see any sign of injury, and unfortunately, a more thorough investigation of the matter would have to wait until they were somewhere safe.

Where could they go? Sacagawea searched her mind for somewhere in the museum where they would not have to worry about being found by the invader-an invader, Sacagawea was certain, who had done something to badly hurt the normally calm and collected pharaoh beside her.

Not sure what she had seen or heard but unwilling to ignore her instincts, Sacagawea darted to the right, all but dragging Ahkmenrah with her into the tiny closet. Closing the door as quickly and silently as possible and turning the lock, she pressed her ear against the door, listening.

Beside her in the darkness, Ahkmenrah's breathing had sped up. "I-I can't-" the whispered plea tore from his raw throat. "Sa-" his breath caught, "-wea-" She heard a soft thump as his knees hit the floor.

Dropping beside him, she sought his hand in the darkness and held it tight. "I'm here. You are not alone. You are not locked back in that-that coffin. Just breathe, Ahkmenrah. Focus on breathing."

He was shaking even harder now. She could feel him trying not to panic, could feel the terror rolling off of him in waves at suddenly finding himself once again in a dark, tightly closed space. She squeezed his hand, and was no longer surprised when his grip tightened and his other hand also latched onto her arm.

It was the longest three minutes Sacagawea had ever been through, sitting in the darkness with the terrified and brutalized Egyptian in the darkness, waiting for whatever she had seen or heard to either make itself known or leave. She could hear Ahkmenrah struggle to maintain what little was left of his composure, heard his breathing suddenly catch, then start again, slowing as he tried to bring it under control.

Finally, she reached up and cracked the door. Leaning forward to look down the hall-Ahkmenrah had not let go of her arm-she saw nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, she whispered, "Whatever was out there, it is gone. Do you understand?" Ahkmenrah nodded tersely, still trying and mostly failing to keep his wits about him. "I know you hate it, but right now this is the safest place we could be, and there is little point in leaving if we do not know where to go next."

Ahkmenrah closed his eyes, but nodded again. Sacagawea brought her free hand up to rest lightly on his shoulder, trying to offer him what little comfort he could.

He flinched and barely managed not to cry out, and the Shoshone pulled her hand away as if it had been burned. "What happened?" She asked, forcing a calm she did not feel into her voice. "Can you tell me?"

Ahkmenrah swallowed. "I do not know what it was called. Some sort of rod. It had lightning in it, and then there was nothing but pain." He rasped. "I lost consciousness, but when I awoke I was locked again in the darkness. My throat was raw from screaming, and every muscle in my body felt as if it were on fire." He swallowed again. "Something is deeply wrong with my shoulder. I cannot use my arm."

Sacagawea forced herself to breathe normally. This was not good. Ahkmenrah had been tortured, his shoulder badly damaged. Whoever it was that was currently loose in their museum, he was dangerous. More than that, he was cruel. This stranger was not someone they wanted to run into.

Ahkmenrah was still shaking, but was trying to pull himself together. "Larry's-the last night guards, they-they would-" he broke off into a coughing fit that he could not control,

 _Muffle the mummy_.

"This has happened to you before." Sacagawea realized. Still coughing, Ahkmenrah nodded. "The last night guards also did this, to keep you quiet." Another nod.

"Sometimes instead of three of them there was only one." Ahkmenrah managed before dissolving into another coughing fit.

"Tall? Dark? Strong?" Again, Ahkmenrah nodded. "The same man here tonight." She knew she was right.

This stranger was here in Larry's place. What had happened to Larry? Why was he not here? Why had he allowed someone else to come in and do this?

"We need to talk to Larry." She decided. "He can explain all this." He had better have a very good explanation for all of this, she added mentally to herself. "Only, he is not here." She admitted, at a loss. It was not as if they could leave the museum and go wandering around outside in hope of randomly stumbling across their night guard."

"Office." Ahkmenrah suggested. "Call Nicky."

Ahkmenrah had also learned about the telephone device, then. "You know how to reach him?" She asked.

"He taught me." Ahkmenrah confirmed.

"Then it is settled. We shall try the night guard's office and attempt to reach Larry and ask for some sort of explanation." And hope the man they were trying to avoid was not waiting for them there.

They left the tiny closet cautiously, Ahkmenrah still shaky but considerably calmer once they were out in the open. The silence in the museum as they stole down halls and past exhibits left Sacagawea unsettled, unease crawling down her spine and settling heavily on her chest. At any moment, she was sure, disaster would strike and they would find themselves face to face with the strange night guard.

If that happened, she decided, she would shove Ahkmenrah toward the office and send him for help while she held him off. She doubted very much she could last long against a man capable of wielding the power of lightning, but she was determined to try. She _would not_ let this man get his hands on Ahkmenrah a second time.

In spite of her fears, they reached the office without incident. Once inside, she locked the door, finally able to relax, albeit only minutely. "Made it," she smiled at Ahkmenrah reassuringly, noting that he was barely still on his feet.

He crossed to Larry's desk, all but collapsing into the chair, and picked up the phone. He dialed, then offered it to Sacagawea, who accepted. Talking was painful for him; there was no reason for her not to handle this conversation.

The phone stopped ringing, and a woman answered. "Hello?"

"Hello," Sacagawea tried to sound as if she used the telephone all the time, "is Nicholas there?"

"Who is this?" Sacagawea faltered, looking to Ahkmenrah for help. The Egyptian had let his head fall to rest on the surface of the desk, and the Shoshone was not entirely certain he was still awake.

"This-this is-I am calling from the museum." Sacagawea was not impressed with herself at the moment.

"You work with Larry?" She could practically hear the other woman frowning.

"Yes," Sacagawea said quickly, "we were concerned. He is not here tonight, you see."

There was silence for a moment. "I see. I'm sorry, I thought they told you. Larry was mugged on his way to work this evening. He's not badly hurt, but they are keeping him overnight. The museum said they had someone who could cover his shift if he was only gone one night."

"Of course," Sacagawea managed, "we just wanted to see how he was doing."

Ahkmenrah had apparently been listening after all. "Ask for a number to reach him." He rasped wearily.

"Is there a number for us to reach him?" Sacagawea was not as familiar with the telephone as the young pharaoh, she had observed Larry using it once or twice, and had figured out that it could be used to talk to people who were not actually present, but that was pretty much the extent of her knowledge, and the request felt strange on her lips.

"What? Yes. Do you have something to write it down with?"

"I-" Ahkmenrah shoved a piece of brightly colored paper and what Sacagawea knew to be a pen in her direction. "Yes, yes, I do."

Sacagawea wrote string of numbers down, thanked the woman who had answered the telephone, and said goodbye. Placing the part of the phone she had been holding on top of the box it rested on, then offered the piece of paper with the numbers to Ahkmenrah. "She gave me many numbers." She told him.

"A 'telephone number' consists of many numbers placed together in a specific order. If you change the numbers, or the order, you reach different people on the telephone." Ahkmenrah explained tiredly, picking up the device and pushing the numbered buttons on the box part.

Someone answered before Ahkmenrah could hand the phone off. "Hello?" The Egyptian nearly dropped the telephone.

"Guardian?" His voice trembled, and he closed his eyes and swallowed, trying to pull himself together.

"Ahkmenrah?" On the other end, Larry sounded surprised and slightly confused.

"Are you well?" Exhausted and nearly at the end of his strength, the pharaoh reverted back to formality. "We-Sacagawea and I heard that you had been injured."

"Yeah, I was mugged." Larry admitted sheepishly. "I'm okay, though. Just some bruises, you know." He paused, then added, "Mugging-that's when somebody beats you up and steals your money. They said I'm okay, though, that they just want to keep an eye on me overnight to be on the safe side."

"Ah." Ahkmenrah coughed. "That is a relief."

"What's wrong?" Larry asked, the concern in his voice obvious. "Is everything all right? Dr. McPhee said they had someone who could take over my shift as long as it was just for one night. Did something happen?"

Ahkmenrah swayed, desperation and exhaustion and fear clouding his features, and Sacagawea gently took the telephone from his hand.

"Larry?"

"Sacagawea? What's wrong?"

Sacagawea took a deep breath. "There is a stranger here and the museum is absolutely silent and Teddy is nowhere to be found and Ahkmenrah was imprisoned in his coffin-whoever 'took over your shift' not only left him in there, but tortured him as well." She was angry, and rightly so. People she cared about were missing and had been hurt.

"What?" Larry demanded. "Ahk-" he stopped. "Look-is he okay?"

Sacagawea spared a glance at the still-shaking Egyptian. "He is out of his coffin and no longer being threatened with lightning." She allowed.

"Lightning? What-Oh my-" Larry broke off. "I'm on my way over. Just, just hold on. I'll be there in half an hour, okay? I have no idea what's going on, but I'll fix it."

Larry was gone. Sacagawea put the telephone down. "He is coming." She said simply. The look of relief in Ahkmenrah's eyes was unmistakable, and he sagged even further: the desk and chair were currently the only things keeping him up off the floor, which reminded the woman…

"You said you could not use your shoulder, that you were in pain, and that you lost consciousness." She remembered. "Were there any other injuries?" She asked, retrieving the first aid kit that Larry kept in his office.

Ahkmenrah roused slightly. "It left a burn." He said. "The rod. It is moderately painful, but does not require tending." Discomfort crossed his features briefly, and he said. "I do not know if anything in that box can help my shoulder."

The doorknob to the office door rattled, and Sacagawea and Ahkmenrah both froze. A second later they had both recovered and were scrambling for the bathroom adjacent to the office. Pulling the door closed behind them and turning the lock, Sacagawea was grateful that at least the bathroom was large enough that Ahkmenrah would not feel trapped with the door locked.

When his eyes darted to the lock on the door and he swallowed nervously, she realized she had been mistaken. He was shaking again. Reaching out, she rested a hand on his good arm and squeezed. His dark, frightened eyes met hers, and she pulled him closer, allowing his head to once again fall on her shoulder.

Again the door rattled, and Ahkmenrah's head snapped up, his eyes wide.

The lock clicked, and the door swung open, revealing the stranger Sacagawea had so far only caught brief glimpses of. Caught off guard, the large man looked first at Sacagawea, then at Ahkmenrah.

Something snapped in the Egyptian, and he snarled at the strange night guard and lunged. He threw a punch that connected solidly with the man's jaw and sent him stumbling back a few steps, but the stranger recovered quickly and retaliated with a blow of his own, slamming his fist right into the still off-balance pharaoh's throat.

Ahkmenrah went down clutching his throat, and his opponent smirked and stepped forward, delivering a sharp kick to the pharaoh's ribs, before turning his attention to Sacagawea.

"Shouldn't you be back in your exhibit?" The man asked. Malice and cruelty were showed plainly in his eyes as well as in his voice, and the Shoshone shivered. "Don't you know what happens to exhibits who don't stay put like they're supposed to?"

Sacagawea had no idea what happened to exhibits who did not stay where this man expected them to, and she certainly had no desire to find out. Shifting her weight to the balls of her feet, she watched the stranger, waiting for his next move.

He simply reached out to grab her, perhaps not expecting her to put up any sort of fight. She twisted her arm out of his grip before he could register that he had a hold of her, and kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over, wheezing, and she dropped to sweep his legs out from under him. She was out of the bathroom before he could recover, jerking Ahkmenrah roughly to his feet and practically dragging him along with her as she darted for the office door.

Somehow they made it out into the hall, and Sacagawea did not hesitate, but took off at a run, still dragging the Egyptian with her. They made it roughly three steps before he went down, nearly taking her with him. Hauling him back up and wincing at the added pain she was undoubtedly putting him through, she took one look at Ahkmenrah and realized he was not capable of going much farther. Glancing around quickly, she pulled his arm across he shoulders to offer what little support she could and lurched toward the nearest closed door.

They ended up in another closet, though this one was mercifully somewhat larger than the last. Locking the door behind her and easing Ahkmenrah down, she was alarmed when rather than sitting, he simply sank to the floor. His hands went again to his throat, and again Sacagawea could see panic blossoming in his eyes.

He could not breathe, she suddenly realized.

Gently, Sacagawea guided the frightened pharaoh to lie on his back, leaning him slightly to the left. Still gentle, she tilted his head back, and was relieved to find that he was able to breathe, though admittedly with some difficulty. Taking one of his hands with her free hand, she whispered, "Larry is on his way. Just focus on breathing, Ahkmenrah."

Dark eyes locked on hers, the pharaoh managed a tiny nod. Sacagawea squeezed his hand, trying to appear calm while she tried to figure out what to do next. She could not leave him here alone, exhausted, terrified, and injured, and especially with a possible throat injury. The Shoshone did not know what would happen to Ahkmenrah-or the museum-if the Egyptian began to choke and could not pull in enough air to keep a normal, living human being alive, but even if by some trick of the tablet he could not die or could come back to life the following night as if nothing had happened she would not abandon him to suffer alone.

He had been forced to suffer alone far too much already.

Larry Daley was coming, and hopefully when he arrived he would send this poor imitation of a night guard away. He would also, Sacagawea was sure, take care of whatever darkness seemed to have fallen over the rest of the museum, and surely he would find Teddy.

That left her to figure out what to do with Ahkmenrah. She could not, as long as she sat here beside him, watching to make sure he was still breathing, tell if the impostor were still loose in the museum, and she could not sit here with the door open to keep an eye on things if they wanted to stay clear of him.

As long as they were hidden, however, Larry would not be able to find them. Even once he had taken care of everything else, he would have no idea where to start looking for them. It might not even occur to him, knowing how Ahkmenrah felt about enclosed spaces-and Sacagawea could not imagine that he was not aware-to check in the closets.

She would wait, she decided, and watch Ahkmenrah. Eventually some sign from outside that the museum was returning to normal would reach them; the museum was hardly peaceful on the best of nights.

* * *

The museum was eerily still when Larry entered. It had taken longer than he had expected to get himself released from the hospital, but eventually he had managed, receiving a warning to take it easy that he was pretty sure he was going to end up ignoring before the night was over.

Larry looked around, fully aware that he had come without any sort of plan, and absolutely no back-up. He had half entertained the idea of rallying Huns or knights or something, but that obviously was not going to work. Sighing wearily and hoping he was not making a really stupid decision, Larry went looking for the substitute night guard.

He found him fifteen minutes later when he rounded a corner and nearly walked into him, almost getting brained by a large flashlight in the process. "Whoa!" he yelped, stumbling back. "Hey! It's okay."

He found himself looking up at one of the tallest, biggest guys he had ever seen in his life, and the man looked angry. Larry was pretty sure he was getting ready to get the crap beaten out of him for the second time that night.

"Who are you?" The man demanded, suspicious.

"Uh, Larry. Larry Daley. I'm the new night guard."

"Larry Daley." The man repeated. Larry swallowed nervously.

"Yeah, that's me. Who are you? You're the guy they asked to cover my shift, aren't you?" Without waiting for a response, he went on, hoping for the best. "I know they probably said I'd be out the whole night, but it turned I got out early, so here I am, and I'm fine, and no need for you to stay, so thank you so much for your help and I will see you around."

For a moment Larry thought the giant was simply going to kill him, but then he shrugged. "No problem, although I think I'd probably better warn you, two of the exhibits are loose somewhere and violent."

"Oh?" Larry tried to keep his face blank.

"Yeah, the Indian girl is out, and I'm pretty sure she let the mummy out. There's no way he could have gotten out on his own."

Larry felt sick to his stomach. "Yeah, that stone, you know." He mumbled.

"Funny thing, though, she must have gone looking for him on purpose, because he was silent as the grave when I left him."

Larry had to bite his cheek to keep from demanding an explanation for something he clearly was already supposed to know about, if the other man's tone of voice were any indication. "Yeah, well, I'll take care of it." He forced himself to smile up at the giant. "Thanks." He paused. "What did you say your name was?"

"Gordon. Gordon Masters."

"Right, well, nice meeting you, Gordon, and thanks again. Can you find your way out?"

Gordon nodded, and Larry felt sure he had never watched anyone leave with as much eagerness as he did now. He let out a sigh of relief when the man was finally gone, and rubbed his face wearily with his hands.

Now what?

He needed to find Sacagawea and Ahkmenrah. And probably Teddy. And he needed to figure out why the museum was so quiet right now.

He nearly had a heart attack when something landed heavily on his shoulder and started chattering at him. "Dexter," he growled. "I don't really have time for your nonsense right now."

The monkey leaped to the floor, and fixed him with a reproachful look. Larry groaned. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm just a little stressed out right now. In case you haven't noticed, the museum isn't exactly working how it should be, and I need to find Teddy, not to mention Sacagawea and Ahkmenrah, and on top of that, Ahkmenrah is probably hurt."

Dexter straightened up and darted forward to grab the tips of Larry's fingers, then darted off down the hall. Hoping that that meant the Capuchin wanted to help, and that putting his trust in Dexter was not a completely awful idea, Larry followed him.

An hour later, the museum had been mostly restored to some sort of order. Most of the exhibits had simply remained where they were set up during the day while the substitute night guard had been present, and had slowly begun to move about as they became aware of Larry's return.

Dexter had led the real night guard straight to Teddy, who had been locked in a closet near his exhibit. The President had been delighted when Larry had found him, both at being released and at the night guard's return.

"Lawrence! Good to have you back!" Teddy cried.

"Yeah, good to be back." Larry agreed. "What happened? Why were you locked in a closet? Who was that guy?"

"Mr. Masters took over the night shift for your predecessors every now and again." Teddy explained. "He operates in much the same manner they did."

"So when the other guys were here, the exhibits weren't allowed to wander around and you stayed locked in a closet?" Larry asked.

"Your-substitute was less patient with the other exhibits than your predecessors." Teddy clarified. "From the start it was clear that he had a bit of a malicious streak in him. I, however, had in the past always been allowed to roam free. Tonight he caught me trying to release our pharaoh and took umbrage."

"And locked you in the closet." Larry said, making sure he understood.

"Well, Lawrence, my dear boy, I am one of the more prominent displays in the museum. It is not as if he could toss _me_ outside as the sun was rising."

Larry did not like the implications of that, but right now he still had exhibits to worry about. "Apparently Sacagawea got him out, though not before this guy did something bad to him. Sacagawea said something about him being tortured." Teddy's eyes widened.

"The other guard said they were both loose in the museum, but I haven't seen them yet. They're probably hiding, and I have no idea where to even begin looking." Larry added.

They ended up organizing a museum-wide search. At least, Larry hoped that the exhibits understood that they were supposed to be searching for their two missing members. His concern that he had not been properly understood turned out to be largely unfounded, however, when Attila the Hun returned with Ahkmenrah in his arms and Sacagawea hovering at his side.

"You found them…" Larry trailed off. Ahkmenrah lay cradled in the Hun's arms, his head limp, staring blankly at the ceiling as he took in gasping breaths. "Sacagawea?" He managed.

The Shoshone looked ready to tear apart anyone unfortunate enough to cross her. "He took a blow to the throat during an altercation with your-replacement and as a result is having trouble breathing." She said. Her voice, gentle and soothing, was completely at odds with the rest of her demeanor. "We need to lay him down somewhere safe-and warm. He started shivering an hour ago and cannot seem to stop."

"We'll take him to my office." Larry decided. "Come one."

Once there, Sacagawea instructed Larry to pull out the couch into a bed, then gestured for Attila to lay Ahkmenrah down. Forgoing the pillows and adjusting the pharaoh so that he lay on his back with his head tilted back, the Shoshone gently spread both blankets over the trembling Egyptian, murmuring softly under breath as she did so. Settling down beside him, she finally turned her attention to Larry.

"Unless you know of newer medicine that can help, we can do no more for him tonight." She said, her tone still calm and even. Ahkmenrah was evidently not the only one who could hide his feelings, though the Shoshone seemed only interested in keeping her anger out of her words-her eyes blazed and her expression was fierce as she turned to face the night guard.

Larry shook his head. "I'm sorry," he admitted, "you probably know more about medicine than I do." Hoping he was not about to sign his own death warrant, he asked, "What happened?"

Sacagawea scowled at him. "There was a stranger here, and the museum was not as it should have been." She explained. "I could find neither you nor Teddy, though I did cross paths with Dexter, just long enough for him to drop this." She produced the sheet of notebook paper the Capuchin had dropped. "It was a list of the instructions, one of them regarding Ahkmenrah."

Larry took the paper, frowning. It looked a lot like the 'instruction manual' Cecil had given him on his first night, but Dexter had torn that one to pieces. This, then, must have been given to the substitute guard, Larry guessed. He scanned the paper briefly, one of the items in particular catching his eye.

"Go into the temple of Ahkmenrah and muffle the mummy. He scares the others?" Larry read. "What does that mean? How the heck do you muffle a mummy?"

From the couch, Ahkmenrah let out a whimper. Every eye was immediately on him. "What did he do?" Larry asked, his voice low. He was sure he did not want to know the answer, but equally sure that he needed to.

Sacagawea pressed her hand gently against the pharaoh's cheek, and Larry was slightly surprised when Ahkmenrah tilted his head toward her hand. "Ahkmenrah told me that the stranger used some sort of rod." The Shoshone said quietly. "That lightning came from it, and there was pain. He lost consciousness, and when he awoke was still in pain and something was wrong with his shoulder. His throat was raw from screaming. The rod left a burn on his skin. He was shaking when I found him, and has not stopped. He began throwing up shortly after he got out of his coffin."

Larry closed his eyes briefly. Some sort of rod-Ahkmenrah had been electrocuted. Here was something else the Egyptian did not deserve. Trying to keep the anger and nausea-this latest revelation left him sick to his stomach-out of his voice, Larry moved to the side of the bed and addressed the pharaoh.

"Ahkmenrah?" He waited for the Egyptian to focus on him. "Ahkmenrah, what happened tonight, what that other guard did to you, has it happened before?" A beat, and then Ahkmenrah managed the tiniest of nods. Larry resisted the urge to swear and forged on. "Did the other guys-did the old night guards do that to you?" When Ahkmenrah did not respond, he pressed, "Did they use the lightning on you too?" Finally, another slight nod.

Larry let out a long breath. "Tell me none of the other exhibits knew about this." He said to Teddy, his voice flat. "Tell me you didn't know he was being tortured."

Teddy was not as good at keeping his voice low. "I swear, Lawrence, we had no knowledge of it!" Teddy insisted, looking every bit as sick and angry at the realization as Larry felt, and seeing that, something in the night guard's gut loosened just the slightest bit.

Larry turned his attention back to Ahkmenrah. "Is there anything we need to do? Anything we can do?" He asked. The Egyptian jerked his head to the side in reply. Larry had been afraid of that. "What about your throat?" He asked. "Sacagawea said you were hit?" Another nearly imperceptible nod. "Do we need to do anything there?" He hesitated. "Can we do anything there?"

Larry was pretty sure that trying to take the injured pharaoh to the hospital was not an option, but the last thing he wanted to do was sit here and watch Ahkmenrah suffer-or suffocate. Ahkmenrah's gaze shifted to Sacagawea, who was still seated beside him, and Larry realized she was watching to make sure he kept breathing.

"I do not know of anything else to do." She said quietly. The Egyptian brought his hand out from under the blanket and placed it on hers, which had drifted to settle lightly on his shoulder.

"You said something was also wrong with his shoulder?" Larry remembered. Ahkmenrah could not catch a break.

"He cannot move it, or his arm." The Shoshone replied. "I believe it pains him more than he has said." Larry wondered if the Egyptian had broken something. He really hoped Ahkmenrah had not dislocated his shoulder.

"Can I look?" He asked. Ahkmenrah's eyes widened, but at last he offered the night guard another nearly imperceptible nod.

Again Larry had to resist the urge to swear. Ahkmenrah _had_ dislocated his shoulder, and while the night guard had unfortunately had enough experience with that particular affliction that for once he actually knew what to do, he was not at all thrilled that he was about to add one more agonizing experience to the Egyptian's night.

"So your shoulder's out of socket." He told Ahkmenrah. "Painful, but this is something I actually can fix."

"You do not look very happy about it." Sacagawea observed drily.

"Well, the problem is, I can fix it, but it's going to hurt. A lot." Larry admitted, staring down at the struggling Egyptian. Ahkmenrah, in spite of his exhaustion the pain he was already in, met his gaze unflinchingly. Hating himself for what he was about to do, but fully aware that it was necessary, Larry moved into place over the pharaoh's shoulder. "Might as well get it over with." He said to no one in particular. "On three. One. Two-"

A ragged shriek tore its way out of the Egyptian's tortured throat, and Ahkmenrah collapsed back into the bed, unable to stifle the choked sob that followed.

"Sorry," Larry said softly. Ahkmenrah was shaking again, harder now, tears rolling freely down his face. It was too much; ancient ruler or not, the young man lying before him had reached his limit. Exhausted and in pain, his strength had finally given out and he could no longer maintain his composure.

Ahkmenrah had told Larry that he had been eighteen years old when he died, and now more than ever did the Egyptian look like the young ruler he must have been: only just beginning to become a man yet still very much a child, expected to behave as if he were not only an adult, but as a pharaoh-a king-above human need and human weakness, equal to the gods.

Larry sat down on the bed beside the boy-he could not help thinking of him as a boy, at least, for the night-and was startled when in one swift movement Ahkmenrah's hand shot out and grabbed a handful of his shirt, clutching the cloth tightly in his fist as if his life depended on it. He was dimly aware, as unthinkingly he reached out and smoothed back the Egyptian's mussed hair, of Attila and Teddy making a quiet retreat behind him. On the other side of the bed, Sacagawea also sat down.

"He has suffered much." She murmured softly, smoothing the blankets covering the young pharaoh. "It is a testament to his strength, that someone who has endured so much can still find it in his heart to trust, and to open up to others."

Larry could feel a lump rise in his throat. Not sure he could keep his voice steady, he chose instead to remain silent.

They had to enlist Attila's help once again in order to get Ahkmenrah back to his exhibit before dawn. The Hun carried the Egyptian as easily as if he were a rag doll, though he seemed to take extra care as he walked not to jostle his battered passenger, and once they reached the exhibit laid him inside his sarcophagus with almost tender care.

Ahkmenrah remained silent for the duration of the trip. Larry suspected that he was simply to worn out to do manage more than the agonized, labored breaths that both the night guard and Sacagawea had spent the night listening for. He did not stir as they approached his sarcophagus, or when Attila laid him down.

His eyes found Larry's when the night guard came over to replace the lid, his gaze frightened and questioning and pleading. "See you tomorrow, Ahk." He promised. "First thing." Reassured, the pharaoh let his eyes fall shut.

Larry closed the sarcophagus as the sun came up, leaving the museum quiet and empty once again.

* * *

 **I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and giving Sacagawea more of the spotlight, but I can't seem to stop hurting Ahk. :(**

 **KarToon12: I love the thought of Ahk sleeping with a stuffed kitten. It makes me indescribably happy.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: Glad you liked the chapter. Apparently I like to write dialogue, and emotional dialogue at that.**

 **Time Traverser: In my humble opinion, Kahmunrah is a class A jerk, though I have to admit that I loved watching Hank Azaria play him-that actor is just amazing-and one of my favorite scenes is where he's having the temper tantrum and keeps telling Larry not to reach across him, and Larry's just like, "What? Like this?"**


	14. Thirteen: After

AfterAhkmenrah had not recovered as well as the night guard had hoped from the night before. For one thing, he was back to slamming the lid of his sarcophagus across the room. The lid hit hard, revealing a still too pale and still rather shaken Egyptian who could not scramble down to set both feet on the floor fast enough.

Larry decided to ignore the lid. "You don't look well." He said gently.

The mask was back. "I assure you, guardian, I am sufficiently recovered from the previous night's-ordeals." Ahkmenrah assured the Larry, his expression carefully neutral, his voice perfectly controlled, giving away none of the Egyptian's thoughts, offering no hint of how he truly felt. The sudden return of this wall between them hit the night guard like a physical slap to the face.

Larry frowned. "Don't shut me out, Ahkmenrah." He begged. "I know yesterday was a nightmare come true, I know you still probably feel like crap, and I know that right now every warning in your head is probably screaming that it's better-safer-to retreat, to keep your distance, to hide what you're feeling. But you don't have to do that anymore. You don't have to hide. Not from me, not from anyone here."

It was a terrible speech, but it at least made the pharaoh hesitate. "I have behaved myself in ways unfitting for a pharaoh of Egypt." Ahkmenrah finally said, his voice bland. He was looking for some sort of response, Larry realized, but the night guard was unsure exactly what he was supposed to say.

He would give it his best attempt anyway. "You aren't just a pharaoh here, remember? You don't have to be alone. It's okay to be human; it's okay not to be perfect. Nobody's going to think any less of you for it here. What happened last night-you have nothing to be ashamed of, Ahkmenrah. _Nothing_." Acting purely impulse and hoping he was not making a terrible mistake, Larry stepped forward and clasped a hand on the Egyptian's shoulder.

Ahkmenrah did not pull away, much to the night guard's relief, but neither did his expression change. He glanced briefly at the night guard's hand, eyebrows raised, before lifting his eyes once again to meet Larry's gaze.

Too late, the night guard realized Ahkmenrah was barely holding himself together, and that while the tablet had been capable of healing the pharaoh's physical injuries, it had been able to do nothing for his state of mind. Ahkmenrah was still tired, still frightened, and still trying to cope with everything he had been through the night before. It made sense that he would try to protect himself, and though it still hurt, Larry completely understood.

He tightened his grip on the Egyptian's shoulder, briefly, and let go, stepping back to give Ahkmenrah some space. "You aren't alone, Ahkmenrah. Just try to remember that."

For a long time, Ahkmenrah said nothing, though he did not look away, and it occurred to the night guard that never once, during any of the difficult or uncomfortable conversations they had been through, had the pharaoh ever failed to meet his eyes, not when he was angry, not when he was embarrassed, not when he was afraid. Larry remained still, staring right back at Ahkmenrah, waiting for something, though he honestly had no idea what.

Finally Ahkmenrah spoke, his voice low. "I know what you ask, guardian, however, it is not something I am capable of at this particular moment. Forgive me."

Larry could accept that. He knew Ahkmenrah was trying-in spite of everything that had happened to him, he was still trying. He could back off, knowing that tonight, at least, the Egyptian needed that wall.

"What do you need?" He asked instead. "You look like you could use some rest."

Ahkmenrah shook his head slightly. "It is not necessary." He said, and Larry did not press.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I think we've stuck around here long enough. You ready to get out of here?" Ahkmenrah inclined his head slightly, and followed Larry when the night guard headed toward the entrance to the exhibit.

The pharaoh was again forced to endure the attention of several of the exhibits who had witnessed the state he had been in the night before and wanted to reassure themselves that he was all right. Attila actually went so far as to grab Ahkmenrah by the shoulders while a stream of Mongolian poured steadily from him and other exhibits looked on. The cavemen, as was usual for them, invaded the Egyptian's personal space with grunting and prodding and poking.

Ahkmenrah endured it all with his usual grace, though Larry did not miss the slight edge that had not been present in any of Ahkmenrah's earlier interactions with the other exhibits. He knew the pharaoh was struggling, but it was nonetheless heartwarming to see the obvious regard the other exhibits had for Ahkmenrah and to realize that they had accepted him as one of them.

Teddy, at least, seemed to recognize that Ahkmenrah was not as well as he pretended to be, and offered only a heartfelt, "Good to see you, pharaoh," before moving on.

Sacagawea, on the other hand, kept her distance, though Larry was unsure why. He had caught sight of her a few times, watching the Egyptian intently from across the room, but the Shoshone seemed to have absolutely no intention of approaching Ahkmenrah.

The pharaoh eventually settled down in the chair behind the front desk, taking part in polite yet brief conversations when approached, but primarily content just to watch the other exhibits interact. Larry heaved a sigh of relief-he had not been entirely sure that Ahkmenrah was not going to collapse on them-and allowed himself to go looking for Teddy.

He found the President in the diorama room, speaking with Jed and Octavius. All three looked up as he approached and fell silent, watching Larry expectantly.

"So, I was wondering if we could talk about last night?" He asked, uncertain. "I mean, it was obviously a disaster, especially what happened to Ahkmenrah, but I need to know what else happened. And how to keep it from happening again."

Teddy nodded in agreement, but Jed asked, "Should others be a part this conversation? Ahkmenrah, for one? Maybe Attila?"

"It does seem to me that those most affected by the previous night's events should be at least given the opportunity to participate." Octavius offered.

Larry was reluctant to bother the pharaoh right now, but he had to admit the miniatures had a point. "So Ahkmenrah. I'm not sure Attila would be much help since he doesn't speak English. Who else?" He asked.

"What about Sac?" Jed asked. "I know she's not as obvious about it as you and Teddy are, but she does a lot of looking out for the exhibits too."

Larry was surprised by the revelation only until he actually thought about it. She had been there the night before, right in the middle of things, and she had stepped in without hesitation when Ahk had been injured by one of the Hun's spears. When Teddy had been damaged the night Cecil and the other guards had tried to steal the tablet, she had stayed behind to take care of him.

"Sac too." He agreed. At the moment, he could think of no one else they needed to include.

They found Sacagawea and Ahkmenrah both in the mineral room, away from the general noise and chaos of the museum, seated on the floor and leaning against the wall, a position Larry would not have expected to see the pharaoh in. He also was not expecting to see Ahkmenrah leaning against the Shoshone, head on her shoulder, more relaxed than he had been all night.

His eyes opened and both he and Sacagawea looked up as Larry and the others entered. Ahkmenrah shifted as if to move-or at least put some distance between himself and the Shoshone woman, but Teddy put a hand up. "Don't get up, son." He said kindly. "You manage it well, but the horrors of the night previous still plague you, don't they?"

Ahkmenrah wavered, unsure how to respond, then simply nodded, relaxing back against the wall behind him.

Sacagawea glanced briefly at the Ahkmenrah before addressing both Teddy and Larry, though her attention was primarily on the former. "The museum is in much better spirits, what with the return of our regular night guard and assurance that all is well once again. We sought refuge in here when the-enthusiasm began to get to be a bit much."

Larry was impressed at how skillfully Sacagawea had just managed to let them know that Ahkmenrah had needed a break from the rest of the museum without expressly saying as much-Larry himself had never been blessed with an overabundance of tact.

"It is rather peaceful in here." Teddy noted, bending to sit down near Sacagawea. "I myself have spent the occasional hour or two here when in need of some peace." He set down the miniatures, who had been riding along in his hand. "However, I fear it is about to become significantly less peaceful. Lawrence wishes to discuss what happened yesterday, as well as how to keep it from happening again."

Sacagawea's eyes narrowed; Ahkmenrah's expression blanked. "I fear there is little _we_ can do as far as who the museum sends to protect the museum in your place, Larry Daley." The Shoshone pointed out.

"Right," Larry cleared his throat. "Maybe we can figure something out. Hopefully, this won't happen again. I got held up, and it shouldn't have happened." He paused. "I owe you all an apology for not being here."

"You were…" Sacagawea frowned over the unfamiliar wording, "mugged?"

"He was attacked and then robbed." Ahkmenrah clarified. "Badly enough to need to go to a hospital for treatment of his injuries." Looking from her to Larry, he added, "You were not at fault, guardian."

Larry shrugged, uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. "Still, I'm supposed to be watching out for you guys. I wasn't here to do that last night."

"You came when we needed you." Sacagawea reminded him gently. "And it is over now."

"Yeah," Larry sighed, still not completely ready to forgive himself. Moving on, he asked, "I know what happened with you and Ahkmenrah, Sacagawea. What about the rest of the museum?"

"Our exhibits were covered up." Jed put in.

"I saw the list." Larry said. It was currently sitting on the coffee table in his apartment. Briefly he wondered how different things would have turned out if Dexter had not destroyed his own copy and left him to figure things out on his own.

"The old night guards occasionally called in a replacement-the man you saw last night, Lawrence." Teddy explained. "He followed the instructions on that list to the letter. Unlike the other guards, he also took steps to insure that the other exhibits were quiet and stayed out of his way."

"Such as?" Larry was sure he was not going to like this.

"The first time he came, he singled out one of the more rambunctious Huns." Teddy said soberly, removing his glasses to clean them. He did not speak again until he had finished and replaced them. "He forced the poor creature outside just as the sun was coming out-the last thing I saw before the magic wore off was the Hun dissolving into dust."

Larry remembered all too well watching helplessly as one of the cavemen met the same fate. "I take it after that no one dared cross him after that." He said, and the President nodded, a grim expression clouding his features.

Larry sighed. "Okay, well, obviously, as much as I hope it never comes up again, he's not coming back as a substitute, not even for one night. I'll talk to Dr. McPhee and see what we can do about finding someone else, just in case."

"If you are aware ahead of time that you will not be here," Ahkmenrah ventured, his voice mild, "you could simply leave the tablet deactivated."

"The museum would not come to life." Larry realized.

"In that case, it would not matter who was here to watch the museum." Teddy pointed out.

"But would you guys be okay with that?" The night guard asked. "Would you, Ahkmenrah?"

"The exhibits would never notice." The pharaoh explained. "They would simply awaken on the next night that the tablet was active, with no knowledge or awareness that they had missed a night."

"That does include you?" Larry pressed, wanting to be

sure. Ahkmenrah nodded. "It wouldn't have any sort of weird side effects?"

"It would not." The Egyptian assured him.

"Well, that's certainly an option." Larry said thoughtfully. "It would be nice if we could find someone who could get along with you guys, though."

"You are the first I have come across in five thousand years." Ahkmenrah muttered darkly. By the way he immediately shifted into ultra-pharaoh mode, his shoulders and back straightening, his head coming up, and his expression once again unreadable, Larry was pretty sure the comment had slipped out unintentionally.

Larry had nothing to say to that. It was not as if the statement were untrue.

Sacagawea stirred. "Larry Daley cannot be the only good person left in the world." She suggested, her tone gentle. "It is worth trying."

"It is indeed." Teddy put in his opinion. Octavius and Jed nodded in agreement.

"If I do find someone, I'll make sure they know how things work around here _now_." Larry said firmly. "Nobody will have to worry about getting locked away or anything else." Eyes on Ahkmenrah, the night guard waited for the Egyptian to meet his gaze. "This will not happen again."

Ahkmenrah hesitated for a long moment, then nodded, and Larry was impressed and a little awed that at the pharaoh's willingness to trust him after everything he had been through. He was not sure, in Ahkmenrah's place, that he would have been able to do the same. Larry fervently hoped that he never did anything to betray that trust.

* * *

 **Sorry guys, got a choir concert this weekend and been busy with rehearsals. Concert's actually tomorrow, but I wanted to go ahead and get another chapter up. Thanks, always thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	15. Fourteen: Check Up

**MiyamotoUsagiFan: this is for you. Hope you like it.**

* * *

"Hey, um, Ahkmenrah?" Larry asked uncertainly. The Egyptian seemed to be feeling much better tonight, and the night guard was reluctant to bring up anything that might cause him more stress, but he was also pretty sure that this was something that needed discussed.

Ahkmenrah met his gaze. He had not completely relaxed, but he was no longer shutting everyone out the way he had the night before. "Yes, guardian?" He asked, still clinging slightly to the cloak of formality he had been raised to hide behind. Larry hoped the pharaoh would be back to normal soon, but understood the reason for his behavior.

"So Rebecca-the woman that was studying Sacagawea? She works here during the day?" Ahkmenrah nodded to show he knew who Larry meant. "Right, well I spoke to her this evening-well, she actually stuck around specifically to talk to me, and she said-" Larry really hoped this was not about to be one more awful thing that the ex-mummy had to endure. "She said that the museum periodically performs a 'check-up' on your exhibit to make sure that the-that your-" it felt so wrong to be saying this, "that your remains are being properly preserved." The last few words all came out in a rush as Larry forced himself to get them out.

Ahkmenrah stared at him for a moment, then let out a massive sigh. "Did she say when?" He asked, an edge to his voice that Larry could not quite identify.

"Tomorrow," Larry answered reluctantly.

Ahkmenrah actually groaned this time; his eyes darted toward the ceiling in an expression of sheer annoyance that the night guard had honestly never expected from the normally polite pharaoh.

"You okay?" He asked uncertainly.

"I am fine." Ahkmenrah still looked annoyed. "It is a minor inconvenience only."

"It's more than minor, if the look on your face is anything to go by." Larry pointed out.

Ahkmenrah rolled his eyes. "It is nothing to be concerned about. It will take place during the day, and no harm will come to me. It is simply annoying."

"I guessed that much." Larry admitted. "Care to elaborate?"

"I will need help." Ahkmenrah grumbled. "If I am to be examined tomorrow I must be properly wrapped, and that is not something I can accomplish on my own."

"Wrapped?" Larry asked. "Help? Hang on, Ahkmenrah. Can you pretend for one moment that I don't know anything about mummies or how mummification works? Because I actually don't."

Ahkmenrah regarded the night guard for a moment. "How much do you want to know?" He asked.

Larry shrugged. "However much you feel comfortable sharing, I guess." He conceded.

Ahkmenrah considered for a moment. "After death, the vital organs are removed and the body stuffed."

Larry stared. "Vital organs? Like-?"

"The brain, stomach, and so on." Ahkmerah supplied, The clarification did not help.

"So…your brain? Your stomach? How-?"

"The tablet restores them each night." Ahkmerah explained. "They-disappear each morning?"

"Wow," Larry was still staring. "Does it hurt?"

"It is not exactly pleasant, but the sensation does not last long." Ahkmenrah cleared his throat. "We are getting…off track? After the organs are removed and the body is stuffed, it is covered in a powder that essentially dries all the moisture out of the skin. The drying process usually takes around forty days, and a guard is assigned to protect the body from scavengers."

Ahkmenrah paused, and Larry took the opportunity to ask, "Does it bother you to talk about this?"

"No," The Egyptian assured him. "After the forty days are passed, the body is purified. The stuffing inside is removed and replaced with more of the drying powder as well linen that had been soaked in resin. After the body is sewn closed the skin is also covered in resin to seal it against moisture.

"The body is then bandaged-wrapped in several thousand feet of linen-which is why I will need help. I cannot be uncovered when this examination takes place, and I am simply not capable of wrapping myself up without assistance. The bandages keep moisture out of the body, as well as making it look more life-like and helping to hold everything together."

Again Ahkmenrah paused, then asked, "Should I go on?"

"Do you want to?" Larry asked, "I mean, if you think I need to know more, or you want me to know more, you're welcome to keep going."

"The rest mostly concerns religious ceremony." Ahkmenrah said dismissively. "Preparation for the afterlife. I do not think we need to discuss it now. Perhaps another time, if you are interested."

"Okay," Larry agreed, not sure whether he was interested or not, though he was pretty sure Nicky would love this. "So we need to get you wrapped up. I guess there's probably a specific way to go about it."

"I can direct you. I remember how they should go back on." Ahkmenrah told him. "This will take a considerable amount of time, Larry, and no offense, but more than just your help would not be unappreciated."

"I can get Sac and Teddy." Larry offered.

He entered Ahkmenrah's with both the Shoshone and the President a short time later to find an enormous pile of bandaging on the floor next to Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus. "Whew," Larry let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding. So how do we do this? Do you…need to be already in the sarcophagus?"

"I cannot be helped." Ahkmenrah grumbled. However he was dealing with the events of a few nights ago, right here and now he was annoyed, and did not seem to care who knew. "I will not be able to move by the time we are finished, let alone climb inside."

"Oh," He would be trapped again, Larry realized. Trapped when they were finished, and trapped until the wrappings came off again. "Well, where do we start?"

Once he had climbed inside his sarcophagus, Ahkmenrah began offering instruction on how to replace the bandages. Larry quickly realized that there was no way Ahkmenrah could have done this himself-in order for the wrappings to go on correctly he had to be lying down and absolutely still.

Sacagawea caught on quickly, and was soon offering advice or correction to Larry and Teddy as she felt it was needed. Ahkmenrah seemed satisfied with how things were going, because he spoke less and less as they went along.

There was a slight hitch halfway through when without warning Ahkmenrah suddenly jerked, causing all three of the people wrapping him to drop their bandages. "Ahkmenrah!" Larry was standing beside the Egyptian's head in a flash. "You okay?"

The pharaoh's dark eyes were wide with fear, and his jaw was clenched. "Yes," he managed, but Larry was not fooled. This was every bit as difficult for him as being locked in his sarcophagus was.

"Do you need a minute?" Larry asked. Ahkmenrah closed his eyes briefly and managed to draw in a deep breath.

"It will not help." The Egyptian admitted. "It is not quite as bad as being locked in. I can still hear, and for now, I can still see." He hesitated. "Talking to someone seems to help as well." He admitted.

Larry looked back at Sacagawea and Teddy, who had resumed working. "Well, I'm pretty sure that Sacagawea has had to redo everything I've attempted so far," a soft huff of air from the Shoshone confirmed his suspicions, "so I'm pretty sure she'd be glad for me to just stay up here. That okay with you?"

Ahkmenrah sighed, then nodded. "Thank you," he said softly.

Larry spent the next couple of hours telling Ahkmenrah, who seemed unable to offer much in the way over conversation himself, about anything and everything he could think of, from stories about Nicky and even stories about his own childhood to explanations concerning even the most ordinary and boring aspects of everyday life. He was pretty sure he had explained what a toaster was twice, and had probably told the story of how he had ended up working at the museum at least four times, by the time they were finished.

The last of the wrappings went on shortly before dawn, leaving Sacagawea and Teddy to make a mad dash back to their exhibits while Larry closed up Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus.

"I'll be here first thing tomorrow night to help get that stuff off you." Larry promised the truly well wrapped pharaoh. He left the lid off until dawn had officially come, reluctant to make Ahkmenrah any more uncomfortable than he already was.

* * *

 **KarToon12: Still working on a replacement. That won't happen for a while, but it is definitely to soon for Tilly.**

 **Time Traverser: It's always cool to hear from people who keep coming back (that goes for the rest of you, too. Thanks!).**

 **Dragon-Fire: Thanks! Concert went really well, though we were all pretty wiped out after. Still not quite recovered.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: Hopefully Ahk will be more open with the others now. He's at least going to try.**


	16. Fifteen: Monopoly

Larry had the stone off and the lid off the sarcophagus before sundown. Larry shivered; even hidden under layers and layers of bandaging, it was disturbing to see the Pharaoh so unnaturally still. Somehow, though, in spite of the fact that he stood looking down on the bundled form of the pharaoh, it did not fully sink in that Ahkmenrah was, at least during the day, just a mummy. He half expected the Egyptian to sit up right now and start unwrapping himself.

The tablet began to work its magic; suddenly Ahkmenrah came alive with a shudder that wracked his entire frame.

"Hey, it's me." Larry said, hopefully before the Egyptian could start to panic. "Nicky's here too, and we're going to go ahead and get started unwrapping you. Teddy and Sacagawea should be up in a few minutes to help too. Okay?"

He did not expect a response, not with Ahkmenrah tied up the way he was, but at least the pharaoh was not thrashing around trying to get out of his wrappings. Larry started on the bandaging, keeping up a steady stream of talk the whole time (when asked later he was only able to guess that he had probably told Ahkmenrah about his day in more detail than anyone could ever want to hear). Nicky caught on quickly enough to how the unwrapping process seemed to work; soon he seemed to be doing better than Larry.

Sacagawea and Teddy arrived shortly, with Attila, of all people, in tow. Even with everyone's help, it still took Larry several hours to release Ahkmenrah from his wrappings.

Ahkmenrah could not be out of the sarcophagus quickly enough, coughing slightly and muttering under his breath in what Larry figured was probably his native tongue. He decided to take it as a victory that the Egyptian still seemed to feel no need to hide his irritation with the whole situation, and was also glad that Ahkmenrah was annoyed rather than further traumatized by the event.

Ahkmenrah quickly forgot his irritation, however, when he spotted Larry's son. "Nicky, it is good to see you again. How are you?" He asked, all at once polite and pleasant but not hiding behind that mask of formality that was the surest sign that something was wrong.

Nicky looked him up and down critically, and Larry remembered that the last time the boy had seen Ahkmenrah, he had been impaled by a Mongolian spear. "I'm good." Nicky said slowly, then, seeming to make up his mind, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around the Egyptian's waist. "I'm sorry you got hurt." He mumbled.

Ahkmenrah's eyes widened, and he stared down at the child, surprise written plainly in his features. Uncertainly, he placed a hand on Nicky's back. "We have already spoken of this." He reminded the boy, his voice gentle. "There is no need to bring it up again. I am fine."

Nicky drew back, and then seemed to realize they had an audience. Flushing, he ducked his head and muttered, "Well, I guess I needed to see it myself."

Ahkmenrah smiled, a real, genuine smile. "And now you have." He said, then turned to face Larry and the others. "Thank you again for your assistance." He bowed. "As I am certain you are all well aware, I could not have managed such a task on my own."

Nicky had already recovered by the time the Egyptian straightened out. "Oh, hey! Come on, I wanna show you something!" Grabbing Ahkmenrah's hand, he started toward the exhibit's entrance.

Larry watched them go, slightly surprised and admittedly rather amused when Ahkmenrah allowed himself to be dragged out of the room by the overeager nine year old. He looked over at Sacagawea to catch her grinning after them; Teddy too was smiling.

* * *

Nicky led Ahkmenrah downstairs and into his father's office, immediately making a beeline for his stuff. He had brought his backpack this time as well as the overnight bag that held his clothes, toothbrush, and everything else he needed when staying over at the museum, and dragged it over to the table, setting it down with a flourish.

He grinned at Ahkmenrah's reaction when he unzipped the bag; while not exactly startled he still eyed the zipper with a mix of curiosity and puzzlement. "That's a zipper." He explained. "It opens and closes stuff. Bags, jackets, um…" he tried to think of other things that used zippers. "Mostly clothes and bags, I think. I'm not exactly sure _how_ it works, but the zipper makes these pieces here stick together-or come apart, see? Wanna try?"

Nicky figured he would never get tired of watching Ahkmenrah when it came to stuff like this. Even when trying to operate the most ordinary of everyday things, his eyes would light up in fascination and his eyebrows would furrow in concentration as he tried to both imitate the younger boy's actions and understand how whatever it was they were looking at worked.

He wished he could have been there in person to explain telephones to the guy. Instead he had done so over the phone, guessing correctly from the moment Ahkmenrah's spoke over the line in what Nicky was beginning to think of as his _what sorcery is this_ tone of voice that his dad had not thought to explain the telephone to him before handing it over.

Nicky suspected that if left to his own devices, Ahkmenrah would have been perfectly content to play with the zipper on his bag all night, but in all the times they had performed this ritual-Nicky explaining what something was, demonstrating how it worked, and then letting the pharaoh try-he had never seemed to forget that there was a younger boy standing beside him who did not find zippers, or buttons, or water running out of a faucet, quite so fascinating, and so after a few minutes, Ahkmenrah turned his attention away from the zipper and back toward Nicky, who reached inside his backpack and pulled out a rather large, flat cardboard box.

"Ta-da!" He announced, grinning, then caught himself. "That's what people say when they do magic tricks-uh, I'll explain those some other time. Right now this is going to be way more fun."

"What is it?" Ahkmenrah asked, his eyes tracing the letters across the top of the box. "Mon-Mono-"

Normally Nicky would have let him sound it out. Ahkmenrah spoke English really well for an ancient Egyptian mummy, and read surprisingly well too, but once in a while he came across a word he did not already know, and while he had not said anything the first time Nicky had read the word for him, the kid had not missed the way his lips had tightened briefly before he had recovered and repeated the word himself. Nicky was not as unobservant as his teachers liked to believe-school was just not that interesting. After that he had let Ahkmenrah work through unfamiliar words on his own.

Tonight, however, was different. "Monopoly!" He announced, practically bouncing where he stood. "Remember me trying to explain board games? This is one of those. I'm going to teach you how to play." Nicky was right. Ahkmenrah was too excited by the promised opportunity to learn more about board games to care that he had not figured the word out himself.

"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria." He suggested. There would be tables there, plenty of room to set up the game. Ahkmenrah followed obediently, sitting down across from Nicky at the nearest table when the boy indicated.

He set up the board while Ahkmenrah found and began looking over the directions, wondering how long it would take the older boy to get through it all. He hoped not long-he had to go to bed in a couple of hours.

"Nicky?" Ahkmenrah was frowning at the directions when he looked up from sorting fake money. "What language is this?"

Nicky looked. "Oh, that's Spanish" Pointing somewhere else, he added, "That's French. And I think that's Chinese."

"These are all countries?"

"They speak Spanish in Spain, French in France, and Chinese in China." Nicky explained. "And English here, of course, and in England."

"Why do they not speak 'American' here?" Ahkmenrah wanted to know. "It is America, is it not?"

"The United States of America." Nicky clarified, realizing that perhaps history class was going to be of some use after all. "People came here from across the sea, from England and France and Spain and a bunch of other countries. It used to be just Indians, like Sacagawea, but more and more people came across. I think that most of the people from England came to live here, where the United States are, so we mostly speak English. But down in Mexico and other countries south of here, they speak Spanish, and I think up in Canada they speak French."

He really needed to start paying better attention in history. "I'll show you my history book from school sometime. It'll probably make better sense."

Ahkmenrah nodded, setting aside the directions. "I would like that, Nicky. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Nicky figured that Ahkmenrah was probably a good influence on him, what with his manners and the big words he sometimes used and all that. He was cool, though, and at least he was not nearly as uptight when it was just the two of them as when Nicky's Dad and the other exhibits were around.

Nicky was not ready to ask why Ahkmenrah always seemed nervous around his dad, not yet.

"Okay, so I'm going to be the banker, since I know how this kind of money is supposed to work. I'll explain it though, don't worry. Here's your money, and this is mine." Ahkmnerah took his money and examined it curiously. "You have fifteen hundred dollars right there-one thousand, five hundred dollars. See, you get two five-hundred dollar bills, two one-hundred dollar bills, two fifty dollar bills, _six_ twenty dollar bills, five ten dollar bills, and five five dollar bills. Make sense so far?"

He waited while Ahkmenrah sorted everything out. When the older boy nodded, Nicky grinned. "Great, now, you need to pick your piece. I think it's called a token. We each pick one, and take turns moving them around the board."

He stopped then, because the tingling feeling in the back had not gone away and he could no longer ignore it. He figured there was nothing dangerous in the room with them, or Ahkmenrah would not look so calm, but he still needed to know what was watching them.

He looked over his shoulder to find Attila the Hun watching them intently. When he noticed Nicky staring back, he came closer instead of backing away. Ahkmenrah looked up from the silver pieces he had been studying, and greeted the Hun politely in a language Nicky did not understand.

Attila replied, then looked down at the board resting on the table and grunted, a scowl spreading across his face. Ahkmenrah immediately started speaking again, and Nicky wondered if the pharaoh were trying to explain the board game to the Hun.

A few minutes later Attila's expression cleared and he pointed, grunting (at least, it sounded like grunting to Nicky) again. Ahkmenrah turned to face the boy seated across from him. "He says he wants to play too, Nicky."

Nicky eyed the Hun warily. "He's not going to get mad if he doesn't win, is he?" He asked. "It's just a game, not worth getting upset over."

Ahkmenrah relayed the information to Attila, who nodded fervently and replied almost immediately. "He says he will not rip either of us apart, not even if he loses." Ahkmenrah translated, and unless Nicky was misreading the sudden light in the older boy's eyes, there was some sort of joke in there somewhere.

"He would not tear us apart anyway," Ahkmenrah quickly assured him. "Attila may be a warrior, but in the museum there is no war, and no one to fight. We are all friends, here."

Nicky smiled at the Hun. "You can translate for him?" He asked Ahkmenrah.

"I will do my best." The pharaoh promised, and while Nicky counted out fake money for Attila, Ahkmenrah began relaying the information Nicky had already given him about the game.

* * *

Larry was not sure what to make of the scene later when he finally found his son in the cafeteria with Ahkmenrah and Attila the Hun of all people, huddled over the old Monopoly game that they used to play every weekend when Nicky was younger and he and Erica were still together.

"Hi, Dad!" Nicky called as the night guard paused to assess the situation. Ahkmenrah was scowling, Attila was looking incredibly pleased with himself, and Nicky sat there nonchalantly rattling a pair of dice in his hands as if playing Monopoly with an ancient Egyptian pharaoh and Attila the Hun were a perfectly normal way to spend a Wednesday night.

Ahkmenrah reached out and clasped a hand over Nickys', effectively stopping him from beginning his turn. Turning to Attila, annoyance written plainly across his features, he said something in Mongolian than even Larry could tell was an accusation of some sort.

The Hun glowered at whatever Ahkmenrah had accused him of and replied, raising his voice in some sort of demand that made Larry wonder if this round of Monopoly were not about to come to an abrupt end.

Unimpressed, Ahkmenrah repeated himself and held out a hand. Attila's scowl deepened, and he balked, attempting one last time to deflect whatever accusation or threat the pharaoh had leveled at him. When that proved unsuccessful, He grumbled something in his own language and selected several bills from his collection of fake money and handed them over, sulking the entire time.

Appeased, Ahkmenrah accepted the payment and began sorting it into his own stash. Nicky snorted.

"Attila keeps trying to skip out on rent." He told his father. "This is the fourth time Ahkmenrah's caught him at it."

"I should have him dismembered." Ahkmenrah complained, though without much conviction, now that he had been properly compensated for having Attila's token-the dog-land on his property.

Larry relaxed; Nicky was obviously having fun, and the altercation between Attila and Ahkmenrah seemed to have been more posturing for his son's entertainment than actual disagreement. That being said, it was past Nicky's bedtime.

"I know, I know," Nicky said before Larry could say anything. "Bed. Sorry guys."

Ahkmenrah actually looked disappointed as he translated for Attila, who also seemed reluctant for the game to end. Neither offered any sort of actual protest, however, and the three began cleaning up, Nicky sorting the money and properties and pieces and cards that Attila collected for him while Ahkmenrah tried to figure out how to fold the board so it would once again fit inside the box.

"Goodnight, Nicky." Ahkmenrah said once they were finished. "May your dreams be pleasant." Attila added something in his own language.

Nicky grinned at them both. "Night, guys. Thanks for playing with me."

"Thank you for sharing with us." Ahkmenrah intoned solemnly.

Larry laughed as they left the cafeteria. "Monopoly?" He asked.

"Yeah," Nicky nodded. "I was trying to explain video games to Ahkmenrah, and thought maybe it might be easier to start with board games. I mean, he knows what games are, at least. So I brought Monopoly to teach Ahkmenrah, and then Attila wanted to play, and since he promised not to rip anybody apart even if he lost I figured it was okay."

"He actually said that?" Larry wanted to know.

Nicky nodded. "Ahkmenrah said he did. I think he was joking, though. Ahkmenrah seemed to think it was funny. It was really fun, though. I think they both had a good time." Larry shook his head. Just when he thought he was getting the hang of this place, something new came along and surprised him. Maybe a game night was not such a stretch after all.

"Did Ahkmenrah translate for him?" Larry asked. Nicky nodded.

"It was weird, at first, but after a while you almost don't notice it anymore." He said. "Ahkmenrah was really good about translating everything, even when it was just him and Attila talking, or just me and Ahkmenrah. I guess he didn't want Attila to feel left out just 'cause he can't speak English."

Maybe English lessons were not such a bad idea either. Larry really needed to get on that.

It occurred to him, then, that if he decided to try a movie night, or a game night, or whatever, that there was no reason he had to involved the entire museum and simply hope for the best. Like Nicky had done with the Monopoly game, Larry could pick something, ask Teddy or Ahkmenrah or Sacagawea to give it a go, and see what they thought. If it turned out to be a success, he could then start worrying about turning it into a museum-wide event.

He figured maybe he would talk to Nicky about it, though not tonight-he would never get the kid to sleep if he brought it up now. The kid had apparently already started introducing Ahkmenrah to different aspects of their culture as well as modern life, so he could probably come up with some pretty good ideas.

He would mention it to Nicky in the morning, on the way to drop the boy off at school. That way, the kid could think about it during the rest of the week-he would probably already have a list of ideas by the time Friday rolled around. They could use the weekend to make some plans, maybe even test one or two ideas, and go from there.

Larry grinned. He was actually looking forward to this.

* * *

 **antaures: Thanks! Glad you liked it.**

 **SummerMistedDragon: I think Larry managed to handle the waking-up-wrapped-in-thousands-of-feet-of-bandaging-and-by-the-way-tight-spaces-terrify-me thing pretty well, but what do you think?**

 **KarToon12: Rebecca as a replacement? I hadn't thought of that. Hmm...it's not a bad idea. We will see more of her, by the way, and soon.**

 **Dragon-Fire: A sign of true friendship, I guess. Helping wrap your friend up in his mummy linens.**

 **Silverdragonstar: There probably will be more trauma, I just can't seem to help it. But I'm trying to do some lighter, more fun pieces for a bit before we plunge back into the darkness. ;)**

 **MiyamotUsagiFan: Glad it met your approval! As you know, the idea was absolutely pulled out of your review. I just really appreciate you letting me use it.**

 **Time Traverser: I have no idea how he ended up unwrapped in the first place, and I'm not sure I want to try to explain it...**

 **Silvara: Wow. Thanks. Seriously. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I'm glad I seem to be at least partially successful in acknowledging that Ahk is from a completely different culture than Larry, although I can see him starting to adapt a little more as time goes by, not because there's anything wrong with his own culture, of course, but I think he'd find modern day life and all that accompanies it fascinating. I cannot, however, see him ever completely forsaking his own identity in favor of this new world he has found himself in. Also, I hope you do end up writing something for him-and I'd love to read it when you do.**


	17. Childhood: Part One

**So, for the record, I don't speak Ancient Egyptian. I actually don't know much about Egyptian culture, though I have been doing some research in the process of writing this fiction. That being said, I have inserted English translations for the Egyptian that I don't know in parenthesis, and I hope that works for you guys. If, however, anyone reading has a better idea on how to indicate that Ahk is speaking Egyptian, I am all ears.**

 **Also, it's been a busy week. I'm a college student (music major, actually) and we've hit the mid-semester concert rush, so concerts and rehearsals most of last week and most of this upcoming week, scale juries, blah, blah, blah...the point is, I'm sorry for not posting sooner, and I probably won't get much up this coming week either, but I will try to have something up next weekend at the latest.**

 **Thanks for your patience, and as ever, thanks for taking the time to read and review. Now, on with the show!**

* * *

In no way whatsoever did the night go as planned.

Something was wrong-Larry could feel it as the sun set even before he realized that the museum was too still. Too quiet.

Nothing moved. The museum had not come to life. His heart in his throat, Larry took off towards Ahkmenrah's exhibit at a dead run.

Entering the exhibit, Larry looked around. The tablet was on the wall where it was supposed to be, though one of the pieces was out of place. Relieved that nothing worse had happened than someone (most likely a child) had been playing with the tablet when they should not have been, he reached out and guided the wayward piece back into its proper position.

The tablet began to glow, softly at first, but gradually growing brighter, the light becoming almost blinding. Larry had time to cover his eyes and think, "What now?" before he suddenly knew no more.

He awoke to find Teddy leaning over him, concern written clearly on his face. "All right, lad?" He asked.

Larry groaned. Sitting up, he asked, "What happened?"

"I came up to make sure Ahkmenrah had been released." The President explained. "When I entered the room I saw you lying on the floor, unconscious. Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I think so." Larry blinked. Something was still off. "Ahkmenrah. Did you let him out?"

"I came straight to you-" Teddy broke off, and the two turned to face the silent sarcophagus.

Teddy climbed to his feet and swiftly crossed the room. Sliding the stone slab out of the way, he brace for an assault on the lid that never came. Shooting a questioning glance at the night guard, who had by this time gotten to his own feet, the President moved the lid aside.

"Lawrence," Teddy choked, his eyes widening in shock. Preparing himself for all sorts of disasters-death, injury, mummified remains-the night guard came to stand beside Teddy and looked down. He was not ready for the sight that greeted him.

A tiny, dark skinned boy lay sleeping in the sarcophagus, bundled loosely in the blanket that Larry suddenly realized Ahkmenrah had never returned. Completely thrown, Larry stood over the boy with wide eyes and an open mouth.

He finally recovered enough to manage a high-pitched, "What?"

Beside him, Teddy was equally at a loss, and offered neither advice nor any sort of explanation.

Larry felt faint. "Teddy?" He managed, trying to get his frozen brain to work.

"I have no idea." The President managed. "Is that?"

"Ahkmenrah?" Larry immediately regretted saying the name out loud; nestled in the sarcophagus, the small child breathed in deeply and stirred, yawning and stretching his arms as he opened his eyes.

Those dark eyes fixed on Larry, and the child scowled. Sitting up, he looked around, his scowls deepening upon discovering that Teddy was the only other person in the room.

Opening his mouth, the child made a demand in a language neither man could understand, though there was no doubt, from the tone of voice the boy used, that whatever he had said was a demand. When neither Larry nor Teddy responded appropriately, the boy drew himself to his full, naked height, blanket and the minimal bandaging Ahkkmenrah wore during the day falling around his feet.

He spoke again, more insistently this time, again pausing to wait for a response he did not receive, before launching into a tirade in his native language. This went on for several minutes before the boy stopped again, eyeing the night guard expectantly.

"Hi," Something loosened minutely in Larry's brain. "Sorry, I don't speak Egyptian."

The boy stared briefly, then asked a question.

"I'm sorry," Larry said again, hopelessly. "I can't understand what you're saying."

"He can't understand you either, Lawrence." Teddy said softly, recovering.

Larry shot the other man a look. "I know that! I just don't know what else to do."

The child in front of them shivered, then bent down to retrieve the blanket from around his feet. (Cold) He said, wrapping the blanket around his body.

Larry frowned at the boy. Reaching forward slowly so as not to frighten the child, h took part of the blanket between two fingers. He echoed the boy, hoping this worked.

The look he received was one of pure disgust. (No) the boy declared. Flapping his arms, and consequently the blanket, at the night guard, he said (Blanket).

Again Larry copied they child, fully aware he was not saying the word correctly. He received a strange look from the boy in response

Larry tried again, and this time it was close enough that the child smiled at him before looking down at the ground. (Down) He demanded, pointing at the ground.

Larry frowned. He mimicked, uncertain

(Down) The child said again. When Larry did not respond the way he wanted, the boy tried again. (Up) He said, pointing toward the ceiling. Again he said, (Down), this time pointing at the ground.

"Down?" Larry asked. "You want down?" Hoping for the best, he reached for the kid, who, much to his relief, did not start screaming when Larry picked him up and set him carefully on the ground.

(Thank you) The boy said, pleased, before moving on to his next demand. (Mother) He said, staring up at the night guard.

Larry had no idea what that one was. Shaking his head, he apologized again. "I don't know what you want."

The boy scowled again, and launched into another verbal assault in high, piping baby soprano. He could not have been more than three years old-Larry was surprised he seemed to be able to speak as well as he could, even if the night guard could not actually understand any of it. Then again, it could have been mostly infant-babble being thrown at them, and he would not actually have been able to tell the difference.

"I'm sorry." Larry said yet again, when he finished. Stifling a groan, he tried picking the kid up again.

(No) the boy said, moving away. Larry spread his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I won't pick you up, but we need to figure out what's going on, and here probably isn't the best place for that."

The boy stared at Larry, his eyebrows knitted together. (Strange) He said at last, pointing at Larry.

"What?" Larry asked, not really expecting an answer.

He received none. Instead, the boy looked down at his feet before looking back at Larry, his expression calculating. (Hungry) He said.

"What?" Larry asked again. The boy looked the night guard over once more before pointing first to his open mouth, then at his belly.

(Hungry) He said again.

"You're-you're hungry?" Larry asked. Miming picking something up, then taking a bite of it, he asked again, "Hungry?"

(Hungry) The boy said firmly.

Larry turned to look at Teddy. The President had been of little help so far, but judging by the glazed look in his eyes, he was having trouble coming to terms with the appearance of a three-year old child where he had been expecting to find their resident pharaoh.

Larry refused to think about what exactly that appearance meant. Offering the boy a hand and hoping for the best, he said, "Come on. (Hungry)"

He had never received such a patronizing look from someone so young, but the boy took a step closer, pointedly refusing to take the night guard's hand. Deciding to appreciate what he had, Larry turned and started walking toward the exit. The child followed him at a careful distance.

He stopped at the entrance, staring at the jackal statues in alarm. (Death) he breathed in awe and fear. Larry kept walking, hoping the boy followed. After a moment he did, scrambling to catch up ad nearly tripping over his blanket in the process.

They managed well enough until they reached the stairs, at which point the child heaved an overly dramatic sigh before addressing the night guard once more.

(Down) He said again, pointing. This time he allowed Larry to pick him up and carry him down the stairs, though he began to squirm when Larry did not immediately set him down at the bottom. (No) He said, his tone strict.

Larry put him down.

(Thank you) the boy said, then reminded the night guard. (Hungry)

(Hungry) Larry agreed, really hoping he had guessed correctly, and started walking toward his office and the box of cookies stored inside.

They ran into Sacagawea on their way to the office. The Shoshone, catching a glimpse of a blanket swaddled three year old with dark hair and dark eyes, asked, her sweet voice in deadly contrast with the look in her eyes, "Larry, what is this? Why is there a naked child wandering around the museum?"

Larry sighed. "I think it's Ahkmenrah." He admitted. "And no, I don't know how. Something weird happened with the tablet earlier."

The boy was giving him odd looks again.

Sacagawea's eyebrows lifted. "Ahkmenrah?" She repeated. The boy's gaze flew to the Shoshone woman.

Opening his mouth, he addressed her in a barrage of words Larry could not understand. Sacagawea looked down at the boy, listening, but it was clear she did not understand either, and after a moment, the boy stopped, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Kneeling, the Shoshone placed a hand on her chest. "Sacagawea." Moving her hand to rest against the boy's chest, she said, "Ahkmenrah." Returning her hand to its original position, she said again, "Sacagawea."

The boy copied the movement, placing his hand over his heart. "Ahk." He said dutifully. Reaching forward to touch the Shoshone, he said, "Way-uh." Pointing at Larry, he added, (Strange)

"Larry." Sacagawea corrected, also pointing.

(No) said the child. (Stranger) That over, he reminded Larry of the reason they had come downstairs. (Hungry)

"I think he's hungry." Larry told Sacagawea. "I have some cookies in my office."

Sacagawea spared the child a brief glance. "I will come with you." She told him decisively.

They reached the office without incident, miraculously enough. Larry found the package of cookies in the drawer of his desk and produced two of them for the three year old with a flourish. The boy, for his part, regarded them suspiciously for several seconds before cautiously plucking one out of the night guard's grip.

Larry, Sacagawea, and Teddy both watched as he examined the cookie thoroughly, raised it to his nose to sniff delicately at it, tentatively licked it, the finally jammed the entire cookie into his mouth, his eyebrows shooting up and a startled smile spreading across his face as he chewed. Swallowing, he held out his hand for the other. This one he ate more politely, dividing the cookie into three separate bites. When he had finished this cookie, he looked at Larry expectantly. (Hungry) he said again.

Fully aware that feeding a three year old a meal consisting entirely of cookies was a bad idea, Larry hand over another cookie. He needed to get some real food in the child.

By the time the boy had finished his third cookie and was demanding more, Larry had successfully divided the sandwich he had brought for 'lunch' into four sections, glad that he had been in a hurry and consequently had not bothered to do more than slap several slices of turkey between two pieces of bread.

The boy ate the offered section of sandwich, then ate the second one. (Thank you) He said again, eyeing the remaining portions, and with a small, inward sigh but no actual annoyance, Larry handed over the last two pieces, both of which the child quickly demolished.

Larry made a note to ask Ahkmenrah-the adult one, if they ever got him back-how often he actually got hungry. The Egyptian had not said anything since they had had pizza, but the child standing before them had clearly been famished.

(Mother) the boy tried again, once he had finished eating, though his expression clearly indicated that he held little faith in the night guard's ability to deliver. Correct in his assumption but disappointed all the same, the boy scowled briefly at Larry before moving on.

(Thirsty) He said, again pointing to his mouth. Cupping his hand, he lowered it to about waist level and made an odd motion before bringing the cupped hand to his mouth. (Thirsty) He said again, repeating the action.

Larry frowned. "What?" he asked automatically, trying to figure out what the kid was trying to tell him this time. Sacagawea, on the other hand, tried copying the child's gestures. The third time through, her expression cleared.

"I believe he is thirsty." She said.

"Worth a try." Larry said, looking around the office for something he could use as a cup. His eyes lit on a dusty museum coffee mug on a shelf. Retrieving it, he wiped it off, inside and out, and darted out into the hall to fill it at the water fountain.

He returned quickly, the mug about a third full of water, and held it out to the child, guiding his other hand to also hold the mug when he originally grabbed it one handed. The boy drank greedily, emptying the mug and looking back at Larry the same way he had when he had been eating. Larry reclaimed the mug and went back to the water fountain.

Ahkmenrah had neglected to mention that he also got thirsty.

A total of three trips to the water fountain, and the boy was satisfied. Looking around, he yawned. (Sleep) He said, then yawned again. Spotting the couch, he made his way across the room and patted one of the seat cushions. (Sleep) he repeated, and without any further attempt at discussion the three year old climbed up onto the couch, nearly losing his blanket in the process, and curled up, one arm tucked under his head. He was asleep in seconds.

Larry wished he could feel relief that the child was asleep and they had at least a short break during which they could try to figure out what to do, but mostly he felt overwhelmed and completely helpless. "I don't know what to do." He admitted to the two exhibits still standing in the room, careful to keep his voice low so as not to wake the child. "I don't know anything about the tablet. How am I supposed to fix this?"

"Maybe it will wear off. Maybe at dawn he will return to normal." The Shoshone did not look as if she believed it.

"Maybe," Larry echoed. He did not believe it either.

"I will watch over him while he sleeps." Sacagawea offered, and Larry did not hesitate to accept her offer.

"Thanks. Come find me when he wakes up?" The Shoshone nodded, and Larry left them there. He had other exhibits to look after too, after all.

Much to Larry's surprise, the boy slept through the night. The night guard wondered briefly if the transformation, for lack of a better word, had left him this tired, or if Ahkmenrah were normally this tired and simply covered it up, but either way, the child was exhausted, and Larry ended up carrying the boy back to his exhibit before dawn, tucking him, but leaving the lid off until dawn. As the sun rose and the museum once again returned to normal, Larry closed his eyes, briefly, and ran a hand through his hair, wondering what he was supposed to do now.

The three-year old boy still remained, sleeping peacefully, very much alive.


End file.
